September 13, 2023
BELLEVUE, WA – A federal judge has granted a temporary restraining order in a Second Amendment Foundation challenge of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s Sept. 8 edict suspending the constitutionally-protected right to bear arms, in Albuquerque and surrounding Bernalillo County.
District Judge David H. Urias issued the TRO, which extends to Oct. 3, when a hearing on the preliminary injunction request will be held. The TRO was effective immediately.
SAF is joined in this action by the New Mexico Shooting Sports Association, Firearms Policy Coalition and a private citizen, Zachary Fort, who resides in Bernalillo County. They are represented by Jordon George of Aragon Moss George Jenkins, LLP. The lawsuit and motion for the TRO were filed in U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico.
In addition to Gov. Lujan Grisham, defendants in the lawsuit are Patrick M. Allen, cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Department of Health; Jason R. Bowie, cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, and W. Troy Weisler, chief of the New Mexico State Police.
“We are delighted that the court wasted no time in clamping down on Gov. Lujan Grisham’s clearly unconstitutional suspension of Second Amendment rights,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “No governor has the authority to arbitrarily deny constitutional rights, especially on the flimsy argument this is a public health emergency.”
Lujan Grisham ignited a firestorm with her order, which the local sheriff, police chief and district attorney all refused to enforce. It has also gotten her in hot water with other Democrats.“It should be no surprise that Governor Grisham’s order was subjected to a temporary restraining order,” said Adam Kraut, SAF’s Executive Director. “The order was so patently unconstitutional, even gun control advocates have been distancing themselves from her actions. We look forward to prevailing in this case as it continues.”