New Mexico Governor Calls for Federal Reparations Over Fentanyl Crisis

WHO:

Fox News - New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham

ABC News - Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller

ABC News - Whistleblower David Howell, current and former DEA agents

ABC News - U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

ABC News - Biden Administration

WHAT:

ABC News - Governor Lujan Grisham called the alleged DEA operation "the most derelict, despicable act" of her career.

ABC News - Lujan Grisham stated, “This is a stunning failure by the federal government,” during a news conference.

ABC News - Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller described fentanyl as his city's “No. 1 challenge,” impacting crime and homelessness.

ABC News - Howell first came forward during the Biden administration in 2023 and flagged unseized fentanyl shipments as recently as last year.

ABC News - Governor Lujan Grisham vowed to take her outrage “right to the White House and Congress” to seek assurances the DEA is no longer using the risky law enforcement strategy in New Mexico.

ABC News - The DEA initially denied whistleblower David Howell’s allegations but later called upon the Justice Department’s independent watchdog to conduct its own investigation.

ABC News - New Mexico's attorney general announced a criminal investigation to determine whether any federal officials broke state law by knowingly exposing New Mexico residents to fentanyl.

ABC News - Lujan Grisham stated, “Somebody must pay for the damage to the state, the public safety risks that will be shared by everyone here for a decade or more, and pay to try to right the wrongs and put people’s lives back together.”

Fox News - Governor Lujan Grisham demands federal reparations, accusing the DEA of allowing millions of fentanyl pills to flood New Mexico.

ABC News - New Mexico could seek billions in civil damages after DEA agents allowed fentanyl shipments into communities.

ABC News - Overdoses have surged in New Mexico, while fentanyl deaths have declined in other states.

ABC News - The DEA monitored but did not seize fentanyl shipments between 2023 and 2025.

ABC News - A 1.8-million pill haul was documented by the DEA in March 2025 but was not intercepted.

WHERE:

ABC News - Albuquerque, New Mexico

ABC News - Española, New Mexico

WHEN:

ABC News - The DEA's strategy of monitoring fentanyl shipments occurred between 2023 and 2025.

ABC News - The largest unseized fentanyl shipment occurred in March 2025.

ABC News - Lujan Grisham will leave office at the end of the year after two terms as governor.

WHY:

ABC News - Lujan Grisham criticized both the Biden and Trump administrations for not doing enough to stem the tide of fentanyl in New Mexico.

ABC News - Governor Lujan Grisham criticized the DEA's strategy as a gamble with public safety and a failure by the federal government.

ABC News - The governor stated that the DEA's actions were immoral and exposed New Mexico residents to danger.

HOW:

ABC News - The DEA's strategy involved allowing fentanyl shipments to flow into communities to build bigger criminal cases, which was described as a gamble with public safety.

ABC News - The DEA's strategy involved allowing fentanyl shipments to flow into communities to build bigger criminal cases.

(UPDATED June 30, 2026 10:15 UTC)

Governor Lujan Grisham has condemned an alleged DEA operation as "the most derelict, despicable act" of her career, stating during a news conference that it represents a stunning failure by the federal government. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller emphasized that fentanyl is his city's number one challenge, significantly affecting crime and homelessness, while Lujan Grisham criticized both the Biden and Trump administrations for their inadequate responses to the fentanyl crisis in New Mexico. The DEA's controversial strategy involved allowing fentanyl shipments to enter communities in hopes of building larger criminal cases, a move that has raised serious concerns about public safety.

(UPDATED June 30, 2026 04:21 UTC)

Governor Lujan Grisham has pledged to take her outrage directly to the White House and Congress, demanding assurances that the DEA will cease its controversial law enforcement strategies in New Mexico. In response to whistleblower David Howell's allegations, the DEA initially denied the claims but has since requested an independent investigation from the Justice Department. Meanwhile, New Mexico's attorney general has launched a criminal investigation to determine if federal officials violated state law by knowingly exposing residents to fentanyl, with Lujan Grisham emphasizing that accountability is necessary for the damage inflicted on public safety.

(UPDATED June 30, 2026 01:41 UTC)

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is demanding federal reparations, accusing the DEA of permitting millions of fentanyl pills to flood the state, which could lead to a civil damages claim in the billions. The DEA's strategy, which involved monitoring but not seizing fentanyl shipments from 2023 to 2025, has been criticized by the governor as a dangerous gamble with public safety, especially as overdoses have surged in New Mexico while declining in other states. As Lujan Grisham prepares to leave office at the end of the year after two terms, she emphasizes that the DEA's actions have been immoral and have put New Mexico residents at risk.