New Mexico Gun Owners Score Win Against Governor’s Carry Ban

In a significant victory for gun rights advocates, the Gun Owners of America secured a temporary restraining order against New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s ban on concealed carry. 

The decision was announced by GOA via their Twitter account, stating, “GOA and @GunFoundation have received a Temporary Restraining Order against New Mexico Governor’s tyrannical firearm carry ban. This is a win for all gun owners in New Mexico and sends a clear message to all anti-gun states—Shall NOT Be Infringed.”

🚨BREAKING🚨

GOA and @GunFoundation have received a Temporary Restraining Order against New Mexico Governor's tyrannical firearm carry ban.

This is a win for all gun owners in New Mexico and sends a clear message to all anti-gun states—Shall NOT Be Infringed.👏

— Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) September 13, 2023

The order, issued by U.S. District Court Judge David Urias, appointed by President Joe Biden, applies specifically to Section 1 and Section 4 of the public health order, according to DailyWire.

Section 1 of the order stated, “No person, other than a law enforcement officer or licensed security officer, shall possess a firearm … either openly or concealed, within cities or counties averaging 1,000 or more violent crimes per 100,000 residents per year since 2021.”

According to Section 4 of the order, people outside law enforcement officers or licensed security officers are banned from possessing a firearm on state property, public parks and public schools.

In announcing his decision, Urias sympathized with the plaintiffs, saying, “They just want the right to carry their guns.”

The lawsuit against Grisham’s ban was filed by the plaintiffs just two days after the ban was announced. 

Executive vice president of GOA, Erich Pratt, had expressed the organization’s commitment to upholding the Second Amendment, stating, “Gun Owners of America has filed a federal lawsuit challenging Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s gross and egregious violation of the U.S. Constitution.”

“Her claim that there are ‘exceptions to the Second Amendment’ is not only wrong, but it also blows open a huge hole in the Bill of Rights. GOA will not rest until the rights of New Mexicans are restored,” he added.

Notably, New Mexico’s Attorney General Raul Torrez, a Democrat, made a surprising move by refusing to defend the controversial gun order in court. In a letter to Grisham, Torrez stated, “Though I recognize my statutory obligation as New Mexico’s chief legal officer to defend state officials when they are sued in their official capacity, my duty to uphold and defend the constitutional rights of every citizen takes precedence.”

“Simply put, I do not believe that the Emergency Order will have any meaningful impact on public safety but, more importantly, I do not believe it passes constitutional muster,” the attorney general added.