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New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat who supports granting rights to illegal aliens, has used the state’s controversial Riot Control Act to completely lock down the reportedly hard-hit city of Gallup and close all roads leading into and out of town.
“Effective at 12 p.m., May 1, all roads into Gallup are closed. Businesses in the city of Gallup will close from 5 p.m. through 8 a.m. Vehicles may only have a maximum of two individuals. Residents of the city should remain at home except for emergency outings and those essential for health, safety and welfare,” she announced Friday.
🚨COVID-19 UPDATE🚨
Effective noon today I am enacting further temporary restrictions to slow the spread of #COVID19, temporarily locking down the city of Gallup at the mayor’s request. pic.twitter.com/ThtMmZgieo
— Michelle Lujan Grisham (@GovMLG) May 1, 2020
Effective 12 PM today, all roads into Gallup are closed. Businesses in Gallup will close from 5 pm – 8 am. Vehicles may only have a maximum of 2 individuals. Residents of Gallup should shelter in place unless absolutely necessary for health or safety or a medical emergency.
— Michelle Lujan Grisham (@GovMLG) May 1, 2020
Gallup city police and McKinley County sheriff’s department will partner with New Mexico State Police, the Department of Transportation and the New Mexico National Guard to enforce the emergency order and road closures. I sincerely thank all of them for their work to save lives.
— Michelle Lujan Grisham (@GovMLG) May 1, 2020
The spread of #COVID19 in McKinley County is frightful. Physical distancing has not occurred & is not occurring. Stricter measures are necessary to stop the virus. A problem in one part of our state, with a virus this dangerous & contagious, is a problem for our entire state.
— Michelle Lujan Grisham (@GovMLG) May 1, 2020
Gallup is situated in McKinley County, which boasted 1,064 coronavirus cases as of Friday, meaning it boasted more than 30 percent of the state’s total count while only containing roughly 3 percent of the state’s total population.
Grisham’s order was issued in response to requests from outgoing Gallup Mayor Jackie McKinney and incoming Gallup Mayor Louis Bonaguidi.
“I recognize this request is unusual and constitutes a drastic measure, and the emergency powers set out under the Riot Control Act should be invoked sparingly,” both said in a joint statement. “However, the COVID-19 outbreak in the city of Gallup is a crisis of the highest order. Immediate action is necessary.”
In her own statement, the governor blamed the crisis in McKinley County and Gallup in particular on an alleged lack of social distancing by residents.
“The spread of this virus in McKinley County is frightful, and it shows that physical distancing has not occurred and is not occurring,” she alleged. “The virus is running amok there. It must be stopped, and stricter measures are necessary. A problem in one part of our state, with a virus this dangerous and this contagious, is a problem for our entire state.”
“The imperative for all of us to remain home and physically distant has not changed. It is even more crucial for New Mexicans in the northwestern region. But what is happening in the northwest could happen in any part of our state. We must remain vigilant.”
According to state Sen. George Muñoz, the lockdown is supposed to only last three days.
“In order to maintain our freedoms as the people of the greatest country, we need to work together to get back to normalcy in McKinley County,” he said.
“Thus, we are restricting travel in and out of the county, establishing a quarantine, for the next three days. We will assess each day afterwards until the spread of the virus is reducing.”
While it appears that Grisham’s order is backed by a number of parties, including New Mexico’s Navajo Nation, which reportedly has an office in Gallup, it’s nevertheless attracted ire from some locals on social media.
Look:
Pay attention people of Gallup. While I may not live there, as a trucker, I frequently run through there and visit restaurants often. This riot control act is nothing more than a smokescreen to be able to declare martial law without actually saying it!!!!
— Kyle Karnbach (@EluneElemaster) May 2, 2020
“I AM ENACTING “ wow you are so full of yourself it’s pathetic, power hungry corruption at its best. How you were ever elected as governor the people of New Mexico will never know! Lots of democratic donations kickbacks and bribes I’m sure payoffs
— Jimbo (@7ClickstoLZ) May 2, 2020
More fascist actions by Adolf Grisham.
— 2 Gun Kitty (@kenrabs67) May 1, 2020
lost there mind? the riot act? really?! make someone a felon because they needed to go out and come cop gets a chip on his shoulder.
I agree about slowing the virus, but this? I see trouble coming.— robert sharp (@rsharp6957) May 2, 2020
How are groceries to arrive at city markets?
— Carrick Patterson (@CarrickPatters1) May 2, 2020
So if our Governor ignores federal law by allowing sanctuary cities…why should small businesses pay any attention to her orders to stay closed. The difference is the state police are enforcing her orders. Who will force her to follow federal Laws?
— 🌺NobodysSister🌺⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@NSsister) May 2, 2020
Their anger speaks to a growing sentiment across the states against the mostly Democrat governors and mayors who’ve overstepped their authority.
The anger is New Mexico in particular is further exacerbated by the fact that Grisham believes in granting unearned rights to illegal aliens. According to On The Issues, she supports granting citizen rights to DREAMers and prohibiting local law enforcement officers from upholding federal immigration laws.
She’s also been a vocal opponent of President Donald Trump’s southern U.S. border wall:
Neither I nor the lieutenant governor saw anything today at our southern border today that leads us to believe the security “crisis” the president has described as he leaves thousands of federal professionals and families in New Mexico in limbo over his demand for his wall. pic.twitter.com/Ef1TJJuSDy
— Michelle Lujan Grisham (@GovMLG) January 12, 2019
Yet conversely, it seems she has no qualms about restricting the rights of the law-abiding American citizens who reside in Gallup.
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