New Mexico governor narrows scope of sweeping gun order after Biden-appointed judge rules it unconstitutional

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on Friday revised her original public health order which would have temporarily banned individuals from carrying guns across Albuquerque and the surrounding Bernalillo County.

The new revised order would temporarily ban individuals from carrying guns only in parks and playgrounds. The revised version comes after portions of her original version were struck down by a federal judge.

Biden-appointed U.S. District Court Judge David Urias said during a Wednesday hearing that the order violated the Constitution.

‘The violation of a constitutional right, even for minimal periods of time, unquestionably constitutes irreparable injury,’ Urias said during the hearing.

The temporary restraining order imposed by the judge will remain in effect until at least Oct. 3, when the next hearing is scheduled.

According to the revised public health order, law enforcement officers, security officers, and active duty military personnel are exempt from the order.

‘I’m going to continue pushing to make sure that all of us are using every resource available to put an end to this public health emergency with the urgency it deserves,’ said Lujan Grisham. ‘I will not accept the status quo – enough is enough.’

‘Today a judge temporarily blocked sections of our public health order but recognized the significant problem of gun violence in this state, particularly involving the deaths of children,’ she wrote in response to the judge’s decision. ‘As governor, I see the pain of families who lost their loved ones to gun violence every single day, and I will never stop fighting to prevent other families from enduring these tragedies.’

‘Over the past four days, I’ve seen more attention on resolving the crisis of gun violence than I have in the past four years. Now is the time to bring clarity of purpose: New Mexicans must again feel safe walking home from school, driving to the grocery store, or leaving their hometown baseball stadium,’ Lujan Grisham added. ‘And I call on leaders across the state, from local law enforcement to the Legislature to mayors and county commissioners: Stand with me to enact solutions that save people’s lives. Throwing up our hands is not an option.’ 

Her initial public health order gained pushback from both sides, with two Republican state representatives calling for the governor to be impeached.