Authored by Allen Stein via The Epoch Times,

In the shade of a tall fence along Central Avenue, a group of homeless people lingered in Albuquerque’s troubled International District as three squad cars and a medical vehicle swept onto the scene.

Police and first responders moved in quickly, scattering the group as a homeless woman began shouting epithets from the middle of the street.

Matthew, a resident of a nearby halfway house, stood at the edge of the turmoil and watched as the situation unfolded.

“They’re just making people leave, man,” he said, frowning.

“They give you a chance to leave. If you don’t leave, they give you another chance. If you don’t leave again, they just run your name.”

He said if the information shows there is an outstanding warrant, handcuffs come out.

Matthew, who did not want to share his last name, said police have been more visible in a neighborhood that has struggled with crime, homelessness, and drug use for a long time.

The display of force by law enforcement is anything but accidental.

On April 8, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham activated the New Mexico National Guard to assist Albuquerque police in addressing increased crime and safety concerns, particularly on busy Central Avenue.

This allowed officers to return to regular patrols and other duties.

The emergency request from the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) cited the fentanyl epidemic and rising violent juvenile crime as issues requiring immediate intervention.

“The safety of New Mexicans is my top priority,” Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, said in a statement.

“By deploying our National Guard to support APD with essential duties, we’re ensuring that trained police officers can focus on what they do best—keeping our communities safe.”

In May, 60 to 70 National Guard members were sent to the city for Operation Zia Shield. Their training was overseen by New Mexico’s Homeland Security, Public Safety, and local police agencies.

National Guard members have been assisting with tasks such as providing aid along Central Avenue, processing and transporting prisoners, maintaining security at Metro Court, and monitoring the city with police cameras and drones.

“The National Guard will serve as a visible, trusted presence supporting law enforcement duties, which will enhance officer presence in high-crime areas and reinforce community trust through visible engagement,” Lujan Grisham said.

Transit Police vehicles line Central Avenue within the International District in Albuquerque, N.M., on Sept. 3, 2025. Allan Stein/The Epoch Times

Criticism

Lujan Grisham and Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller criticized President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., after he declared a crime emergency in the nation’s capital on Aug. 11. The president also federalized the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.

“President Trump’s massive executive overreach in Washington sets a dangerous precedent and undermines safety in our nation’s capital,” Lujan Grisham and Keller said in a joint statement.

Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson during a press conference on Aug. 11, said, “it is disgraceful that we have allowed D.C., to become so incredibly dangerous.”

“I think there’s no more important job for this department than alongside federal law enforcement partners and local police in securing our nation’s capital,” Wilson said.

Meanwhile, Lujan Grisham received criticism for deploying National Guard personnel in her state, including from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico.

A mural depicts the historic Nob Hill section of Albuquerque, N.M., near Central Avenue on Sept. 3, 2025. Allan Stein/The Epoch Times

In April, the ACLU expressed “serious concerns” that military deployment would lead to civil rights violations and further criminalize the homeless.

“All of us deserve to be safe at home, at work, and in our community. We, like so many in Albuquerque, know that that’s not always the case in our city,” Daniel Williams, ACLU of New Mexico policy advocate, said in a statement.

“However, Governor Lujan Grisham’s deployment of the National Guard to support Albuquerque police is a show of force, not a show of solutions.”

A group of people squats in the shade of a building off Central Avenue in the International District of Albuquerque, N.M., on Sept. 3, 2025. Allan Stein/The Epoch Times

Despite this criticism, Lujan Grisham’s office said Operation Zia Shield, now in its third month, has been “highly successful.”

“Initial plans cited a minimum of six months in order to make a positive impact in the community,” a spokesman told The Epoch Times.

Officials will continue to review the situation to decide whether to proceed or end the mission, he said.

Field operations in Albuquerque began on June 5, with National Guard personnel monitoring city streets under the direction of police dispatch.

“Having National Guardsmen assisting with these calls reduces the number of sworn law enforcement officers needed at each call, freeing them up for more serious calls,” the spokesman said.

Jonathan Tafoya stands inside Fonzy's Barbershop, in the Nob Hill section of Albuquerque, N.M., on Sept. 3, 2025. Allan Stein/The Epoch Times

Since mid-May, Operation Zia Shield has devoted nearly 4,000 hours to responding to 1,216 incidents throughout the city.

These included 210 calls for patrolling neighborhoods, which took 282 hours; 35 calls for medical assistance; 117 calls to assist other officers; 107 special tasks; and 194 calls to patrol public transportation areas.

On July 28, a Zia Shield unit effort provided guard personnel with job training to assist with paperwork and expedite court case processing.

Guard members processed 549 criminal summons and prepared and sent 1,347 officer trial notices, according to the spokesman.

On Aug. 8, selected Guard personnel monitored traffic cameras and earned drone pilot licenses. They flew drones 180 times, totaling almost 39 hours.

One week into the mission, National Guard members monitoring traffic cameras noticed a person who appeared to be having a medical emergency in a bus shelter.

Their observation helped save the person’s life, the spokesman said.

Since Operation Zia Shield started, Guard members have processed 2,248 people under arrest. This allowed police officers to focus on other tasks.

Jonathan Tafoya, owner of Fonzy’s Barbershop along Monte Vista Boulevard near Central Avenue, opened his shop six months ago.

While he hasn’t seen much crime in his area, he thinks using the National Guard to support law enforcement is a good idea, “because there aren’t enough cops.”

‘More Police Needed’

As of Sept. 3, the city has reported 50 homicides so far this year. In 2024, there were 66 confirmed homicides, while in 2023, the number was 73.

The APD has 864 officers who serve a city that spans 189.5 square miles and is home to 558,874 people.

In 2023, 40 APD officers resigned, representing a 32.2 percent decrease from 2002—when 59 officers resigned—and a 36.5 percent decrease from 2021, when 63 officers left the force, according to Police1.

“They need to step up their police presence,” Tafoya told The Epoch Times. “Just hire more cops—but nobody wants to be a cop.”

A police substation in the Nob Hill area of Albuquerque, N.M., on Sept. 3, 2025. Allan Stein/The Epoch Times

Robert, a local business owner on Central Avenue in the Nob Hill neighborhood, said homelessness is a major problem in the city.

“I know in our back alley, they‘ll be back there using drugs, and they’ll try and camp back there, and we’ll tell them to move,” said Robert, who didn’t want his last name used out of fear of retaliation.

The solution, he said, is hiring more police officers. The problem is, “Who wants to be a police officer?”

“It’s a very hard role to fill now because it comes with a lot of politics, a lot of baggage,” Robert said.

“There are no consequences anymore for a lot of things that people do, especially in Albuquerque. The juvenile crime is out of control. Our legislators won’t take action. They give them a slap on the hand.”

Christian works as a cook at a restaurant on Central Avenue. He said he feels sympathy for the homeless but sometimes sees them as part of the problem.

“A lot of homeless people do drugs and everything. We shouldn’t have to deal with that,” he said

A man waits for public transportation to arrive in Albuquerque's Nob Hill East section on Sept. 3, 2025. Allan Stein/The Epoch Times

Christian, like Robert, believes that using National Guard members to help local police is a “good thing.”

Better Days

Robert recalled that the International District was once known as the “War Zone” because crime was so prevalent.

“It used to be a nice part of town way back when,” he said. “But that’s where a lot of the homeless are now.”

Matthew said every day, people experiencing homelessness gather in the shaded areas along Central Avenue across from the casino.

It can still be a dangerous place, he said, even with police patrolling nearby.

“Everybody’s doing drugs out here, bro. They’re getting their pills and syringes everywhere. It’s disgusting,” he said.

After the police moved the group of homeless people away from the shaded fence, he offered some advice to someone walking by.

“Be safe, man,” Matthew said.