National Guard Deployed to Albuquerque, New Mexico as Crime Crisis Skyrockets
Albuquerque, New Mexico, is turning to the National Guard for support as crime continues to surge in the state’s largest city. The move comes after local law enforcement requested help dealing with what officials describe as an unrelenting public safety crisis — including violent crime, rampant drug use and a growing homeless population.
BREAKING: Democrat New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, whose banned carrying guns by law-abiding citizens, refuses to cooperate with ICE to deport illegal aliens and passed anti-police reform—
NOW deploying the National Guard to Albuquerque to fight a violent crime emergency. pic.twitter.com/btWS7aNpLY— Dapper Detective (@Dapper_Det) April 9, 2025
Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham approved the deployment of between 60 and 70 National Guard troops in response to an emergency request from Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina. Troops will begin arriving in May and are expected to remain in the city for six months to a year, depending on conditions on the ground.
Albuquerque, home to over a quarter of New Mexico’s population, has been overwhelmed by crime in recent years. Central Avenue — a stretch of the historic Route 66 — has become a hotspot for illegal activity, open-air drug markets and homeless encampments, the Daily Mail reports.
Locals have dubbed the area “The War Zone,” a label that has gained national attention following a visit from YouTuber Nick Johnson, who described the neighborhood as “the most frightful in America” to his 1.1 million followers.
Although the National Guard will assist local authorities, guardsmen will not be performing active police duties, nor will they be armed or in uniform. According to reports, including from the Albuquerque Journal, the troops will wear plain polo shirts and be assigned to tasks such as courthouse and airport security.
This is intended to allow Albuquerque police officers to focus on direct crime prevention and community response.
City officials, including Democratic Mayor Tim Keller, have attempted to assure residents that the Guard will not be taking over law enforcement responsibilities. Instead, the goal is to “free up officers” to concentrate on rising crime.
“What we want to do is double down on what’s working,” Keller said during a press briefing. “And what’s working is technology and civilians… freeing up officers to fight crime and keep those statistics going in this powerfully good direction.”
Keller acknowledged that the police department is currently operating below its target staffing level. The city hopes to grow its force from 850 to 1,000 officers.
The temporary assistance from the Guard is expected to provide a stopgap solution as recruitment efforts continue.
The broader deployment also follows a controversial history of progressive city policies that, critics say, have failed to address the root causes of the crime crisis. In a sharp rebuke of the city’s leadership, State Sen. Nicole Tobiassen (R-Albuquerque) called the emergency response a symptom of failed governance.
“The city’s crime crisis and lawlessness is a testament to the absolute failure of Mayor Tim Keller and his progressive policies,” she said.
Grisham defended the move as necessary, citing the scale of Albuquerque’s challenges, which include a fentanyl epidemic and widespread public disorder. The governor’s declaration of emergency grants the state authority to mobilize the National Guard in support roles, with the intent to relieve pressure on an overextended police force.
The deployment is not without precedent. Other cities experiencing similar issues have turned to National Guard assistance as a last resort after local resources proved insufficient.
The difference in Albuquerque lies in the scale of the crisis — one that some say was foreseeable and preventable through stronger law enforcement and less leniency in local policies, according to the Daily Mail.
While city leaders maintain that new strategies and technologies are helping reduce crime in some categories, residents have voiced concern over safety in public spaces, particularly in areas like Central Avenue, where drug activity and vagrancy remain visible.
The National Guard’s arrival is expected to be one of the most high-profile interventions in Albuquerque’s public safety effort to date, signaling the seriousness of the situation — and the limits of progressive policy in addressing rising urban crime.
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