New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is demanding federal reparations from the U.S. government, accusing the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of fueling the state's fentanyl crisis. Grisham alleges that the DEA allowed millions of fentanyl pills to flood into New Mexico during an undercover operation between 2023 and 2025 without notifying state or local officials.
Grisham described the alleged operation as "the most derelict, despicable act" of her career, stating that the fallout has forced New Mexico to allocate over $1.5 billion toward law enforcement, behavioral health, addiction treatment, and other public safety initiatives. She asserted that the DEA "stood silently by and watched thousands of fentanyl pills get distributed with no arrests, no evidence, no notice that we know of anywhere else."
The governor is seeking reimbursement from the federal government for the state's expenditures in combating the fentanyl epidemic. She also called on Congress to prohibit similar DEA operations in the future, mandate full federal funding for state costs incurred by such operations, and hold involved officials personally accountable.
Grisham stated that her administration had repeatedly sought more federal resources to address New Mexico's escalating fentanyl crisis from both the Biden and Trump administrations, including requests for additional DEA agents and coordinated enforcement efforts, but these requests were met with silence. She urged lawmakers to require federal agencies to notify state and local officials before conducting similar operations, restore approximately $25 million in federal behavioral health and public safety funding she claims has been cut, and enact legislation to prevent future use of similar DEA tactics.
Her remarks followed an announcement by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez that his office is launching a criminal investigation into allegations that the DEA knowingly permitted hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to reach New Mexico communities while pursuing larger criminal cases. The investigation will explore potential legal remedies, including criminal prosecution, civil litigation, and structural reforms.
"The families who have lost children, siblings, and parents to fentanyl deserve the truth about what the federal government knew and what it failed to do," Torrez said in a statement. "If the DEA stood by while poison flooded our communities, that is not a bureaucratic failure. It is a betrayal of the people it was sworn to protect."
Grisham echoed Torrez's call for accountability, expressing anger and stating that those who approved or oversaw the operation should face consequences. She believes many of the responsible individuals may still be within the DEA. The governor emphasized the long-term impact on combating addiction and fentanyl overdose deaths in the state. Fox News Digital has reached out to the DEA for comment.