We have long predicted that tyrannical Governors and Presidents would use the “public health emergency” precedent set by covid to restrict countless other rights, chief among them the right to keep and bear arms (because, of course, a disarmed population is much easier to control than an armed one). Well, just this past Friday, September 8, 2023, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham issued Executive Order 2023-130 and declared gun violence “a statewide public health emergency of unknown duration.” New Mexico Public Health Secretary Patrick M. Allen then wasted no time issuing a public health order dated September 8, 2023 banning the carrying of firearms in cities or counties that meet certain crime statistics. The practical effect of this order is to ban the public carrying of handguns and other firearms for the lawful purpose of self-defense in New Mexico’s largest city – Albuquerque.
Governor Lujan’s executive order brazenly flies in the face of the United States Supreme Court’s recent decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, 142 S.Ct. 2111 (2022). That case held that the Second Amendment protects a right to carry firearms in public, and it reached two conclusions regarding lawful restrictions on that right:
a. First, “[s]tates could lawfully eliminate one kind of public carry – concealed carry – so long as they left open the option to carry openly.” Id. at 2150.
b. Second, governments may not classify entire cities as “sensitive places” in order to ban any carrying of firearms in public. Id. at 2133.
That is why we leapt into action Friday night, securing a plaintiff and filing our complaint Saturday evening. We are seeking injunctions to immediately stop the Governor’s order from taking effect, and a declaratory judgment ruling that this order violates the Second and Fourteenth Amendments. Read the entire complaint here.
We will not stand idly by while these Communists work overtime to strip us of one of our most basic and precious human rights – the right to defend ourselves, and our families. That is why We The Patriots USA stands committed to fight back in court anytime your Second Amendment rights are under attack. This action is only made possible by generous donors like you. We were not able to waste time raising funds before filing this lawsuit, so we dipped into our reserves to fund this litigation. We would greatly appreciate it if you would prayerfully consider making a donation to our 2A Legal Fund today, so that we can replenish these funds for this and other Second Amendment litigation. Please also share the donation link with anyone you know who supports our fight to preserve our right to keep and bear arms.