Why the New Mexico governor's gun ban backfired

Critics say the Constitution isn't the only reason to oppose a 30-day gun ban in the name of public health

michelle lujan grisham
Liberals and conservatives alike objected to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's emergency public health order suspending some gun rights.
(Image credit: Toya Sarno Jordan / Getty Images)

A judge this week blocked New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's (D) emergency public health order suspending the right of citizens in the Albuquerque area from carrying guns on public property, openly or concealed. Lujan Grisham had just announced her 30-day gun ban on Friday, saying it would serve as a "cooling-off period" in which state leaders could discuss how to address New Mexico's high gun violence rates after several children died in recent shootings in Albuquerque and other parts of the state. Gun control campaigners had praised Lujan Grisham's "courage," Reuters reported.

The backlash was quick, as everyone — including Lujan Grisham — expected. Four gun rights groups immediately filed lawsuits challenging Lujan Grisham's "public health emergency" order, Reason noted. U.S. District Court Judge David Urias agreed, saying the policy violated a landmark 2022 Supreme Court ruling that gives Americans the right to carry guns for self defense under the Constitution's Second Amendment. And that's just one reason that liberals and conservatives alike objected to Lujan Grisham's drastic move. Here are some of the main gripes from both sides:

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Harold Maass, The Week US

Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.