Otero County declares state of emergency regarding immigration
Nicole MaxwellOtero County declared a state of emergency Wednesday, calling on New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to deploy the National Guard to reopen the Customs and Border Patrol checkpoints that were closed in March.
The resolution was passed unanimously with amendments.
The resolution gives Lujan Grisham until April 26 to respond to the resolution or Otero County "will consider its options to halt the flood of drugs entering Otero County as a result of the closing of the Border Patrol checkpoints."
These options include seeking assistance from federal authorities to reopen the checkpoints using Otero County law enforcement, taking legal action against to state to recoup costs "of protecting the citizens of Otero County arising from the State's failure to act and concerted political action with the citizens and elected officials of New Mexico to protect the people of this State," the resolution states.
The declaration notes the need for open checkpoints to stop drugs and illegal activity at the border.
“If this demand is not met by the State of New Mexico in one week’s time, the County of Otero will take action itself to provide security and safety and well-being for the people in this county,” Otero County Commission Chairman Couy Griffin said.
“Otero County will also consider litigation in regards to the State of New Mexico failing to follow its constitutional duties towards the people of Otero County.”
The governor's office issued a response stating that "the National Guard does not and would not operate federal checkpoints."
"If Otero County officials are unhappy that a federal checkpoint has been un-manned, so to speak, their concerns would have the best chance of being addressed if registered with the federal agency that made the decision to shift that personnel elsewhere," Governor's Office spokesman Tripp Stelnicki said.
"At the same time, Otero County is absolutely free to reach out to the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for whatever assistance they feel they need, which as of today had not occurred.
Stelnicki said the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and other state agencies have been extremely available in assisting communities dealing with the humanitarian issues attendant to the migrant arrivals.
Alamogordo Police Chief Brian Peete said that Alamogordo Police Department's workload has increased substantially since the checkpoints were closed.
"Right now we're in the initial points of gathering and collecting data, but we do know that there's a significant presence coming in through this area. That's corroborated by our own intelligence, our investigations and from partners in federal and other state agencies."
APD is a member of the White Mountain Task Force, a part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program.
"My personal concern with Border Patrol being inundated is the amount of drugs that's going to flow through the town because there are no checkpoints," Peete said.
Copies of the resolution have been sent to state officials including the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, the state legislative delegation from Otero County, President Donald Trump, the New Mexico Senate delegation, U.S. Attorney General William Barr, the heads of Homeland Security, CBP, Tularosa Mayor Margaret Trujillo, Cloudcroft Mayor David Venable, the boards of county commissioners of the counties of New Mexico, the commissioners courts of El Paso County, Culberston County and Hudspeth County Texas and the El Paso Mayor Dee Margo.
Closed Border Patrol checkpoints
U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints in the El Paso Sector, which includes West Texas and all of New Mexico temporarily shut down in late March, as agents were pulled to help process a large influx of migrants claiming asylum at the border.
The permanent highway checkpoints are part of the Border Patrol's immigration and smuggling enforcement system in the border region.
“The United States Border Patrol (USBP) continues to apprehend illegal alien families and unaccompanied children in steadily increasing numbers,” a statement released at the time read. “To process and ensure appropriate care for those in custody, resources including personnel have been diverted from other border security priorities.
"Currently, El Paso Sector has shut down immigration checkpoints and moved agents to assist with the processing of these aliens. This is intended as a temporary measure. Checkpoints are integral to USBP’s border security mission.”
Gov. Lujan Grisham pulls National Guard from border
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced in February that she withdrew the 118 remaining National Guard troops from New Mexico’s border with Mexico, denying President Donald Trump’s contention that a crisis was ongoing at the border.
The announcement followed Lujan Grisham’s predecessor former-Gov. Susana Martinez’s deployment of 200 National Guard troops to the border in April 2018, and Lujan Grisham also announced the deployment of six New Mexico State Police officers to Hidalgo County – a rural county in New Mexico’s bootheel in the state’s southwest corner an on the border with Mexico.
"I reject the federal contention that there exists an overwhelming national security crisis at the southern border, along which are some of the safest communities in the country," Lujan Grisham said hours before Trump's scheduled State of the Union.
"However, I recognize and appreciate the legitimate concerns of residents and officials in southwestern New Mexico, particularly Hidalgo County, who have asked for our assistance, as migrants and asylum-seekers continue to appear at their doorstep."
Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on twitter at @nicmaxreporter.
The Las Cruces Sun-News contributed to this report.