New Mexico's Governor Orders National Guard to Patrol Mexican Border

(SANTA FE) - Governor Bill Richardson, after meeting with top law enforcement officials this morning, ordered the National Guard to patrol the border with Mexico and ensure the safety of New Mexico citizens.

“I want residents in Southern New Mexico to know we are taking this border violence very seriously by adding a National Guard presence along with state, local and federal law enforcement patrols along the border,” Governor Richardson said.

Governor Richardson ordered New Mexico National Guard Major General Kenny Montoya to send guardsmen to the border area. The guardsmen will work with the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, which his coordinating the law enforcement presence along the border.

Governor Richardson is also urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense to increase the federal law enforcement presence at the border and make that presence permanent.

On Tuesday, the Governor announced an increase in patrols by the New Mexico State Police and local sheriff’s departments at the border while police in Arizona investigate the shooting death of an Arizona rancher near the Mexico-Arizona border.

New Mexico Homeland Security and Emergency Management Secretary John Wheeler is coordinating the state’s law enforcement response to the shooting, including intelligence gathering and sharing with all law enforcement.

Governor Richardson in 2005 declared a State of Emergency along the New Mexico-Mexico border as a result of border-related violence. As a result of that emergency declaration, border communities were able to pay for additional law enforcement. The emergency also led to the creation of a field office for the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management in Las Cruces.

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Sinse April 3, 2010 12:44 pm (Pacific time)

Everyone is distracted with the economy, high unemployment rate, healthcare and a host of other concerns. The most important thing any elected offical is suppose to do is keep the people safe. When you have these cartels directly challenge the Mexican military and all the different law enforcement agencies in that country, then a weak U.S. border guard is no big deal to them. So why is the media minimizing this violent upsurge? The violence in our cities is picking up and with the unemployment rates as high as they are you would think that the DC leadership would be letting the public know that they have a plan. It's one thing to reacte after the fact (xmas bomber), and another keeping the people safe with a proactive plan. Well there are well over 100 million gunowners in America, so I know that some organizing is gonna happen, and we the people I guess will have to take protective measures. I imagine in due time those people who organize within their respective communities for self-protection will be called some inappropriate and misleading names. So be it.

Mike H. April 2, 2010 11:09 am (Pacific time)

It's about time.

Anonymous April 1, 2010 7:49 am (Pacific time)

this is the typical norm. Create the crisis, wait for the reaction, then come up with the solution. Crisis, reaction, solution. Usually the solution has been made in advance, a solution that fits the agenda. An agenda most would not go along with, unless there was a crisis. THey use this tactic over and over and over.

douglas benson April 1, 2010 5:51 am (Pacific time)

Where in the heck does anonymous get his info. 99% of meth comes from mexico .They might ship it to canada first but usually it makes its way up the west coast to canada .

Joe March 31, 2010 7:46 pm (Pacific time)

There are two things I can't stand, it's people who aren't tolerant of other cultures and Canadians.

Anonymous March 31, 2010 5:59 pm (Pacific time)

Definitly need to enhance security on the border with Canada because of not just terrorist' potential but to stem the flow of meth. British Columbia, in and around the Vancouver area, is the world's largest exporter of meth.

John March 31, 2010 5:06 pm (Pacific time)

Joe, When they come from the "Great White North" or from the airports they're called "tourists". When they come from the south, they're called interlopers(sarcasm). The more I think about it, maybe the NAU isn't such a bad idea. We could easily cover homeland security by moving the southern border to the Panama canal. Are you that scared of hockey and beer?

Joe March 31, 2010 4:48 pm (Pacific time)

It's about time, the Govs of the northern states should put them on the Canadian border also.

jimmy March 31, 2010 4:28 pm (Pacific time)

"New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management", "U.S. Department of Homeland Security" Sound to me like these people should be out of a job!

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