Keeping Our Communities Safe
Public safety is a top priority for Rep. Vasquez. Vasquez has hosted numerous roundtables with Sheriffs from across the district and regularly meets with other law enforcement and Customs and Border Protection officials. Together, Vasquez is pushing for proactive crime prevention efforts and increased funding for public safety measures to build a safer community for New Mexicans.
Here are some actions he has taken to protect our communities:
Crime Prevention Efforts
- Introduced the Secure Our Skies Drone Safety Act to ensure that law enforcement agencies’ use of drones and counter-drone technology are keeping pace with rapidly evolving threats to public safety and national security. This legislation is supported by the Fraternal Order of Police.
- Championed bipartisan legislation like the Auto Theft Protection Act and the PART Act to address rampant theft of catalytic converters.
- Leading the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Reauthorization Act to provide federal resources to local law enforcement to crack down on drug trafficking.
- Voted for and helped pass the HALT Fentanyl Act, to classify fentanyl as a Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.
- Sponsored bills like the Joint Task Force to Combat Opioid Trafficking Act, and the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act to improve border security operations, classify fentanyl as a Schedule I drug, and address emerging threats in the opioid crisis.
- Cosponsored the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act to address the rise of mass theft from stores in our cities.
Investing in Public Safety
- Strong supporter of law enforcement funding, including voting to provide over $9 billion in public safety funding
- Secured over $3.7 million for New Mexican law enforcement agencies through Community Funded Projects
- Fought to secure funding for the New Mexico Department of Public Safety for the Communication Improvement Project to enhance communication infrastructure and response efforts
- Enhanced COPS Hiring Program Grants for Local Law Enforcement Act to provide increased resources to recruit and retain law enforcement officers
- Championed the Invest to Protect Act, to enable small law enforcement agencies enhance effectiveness by making greater investments in their officers
- Led the Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act to enhance public safety within tribal communities
Secured millions of dollars for public safety initiatives, including the acquisition of the Luna Mobile Command Unit to increase response times in Luna County.
Supporting Local Firefighters and First Responders
- Secured nearly $500,000 for Las Cruces Fire Department to expand paramedic training for local first responders
- Cosponsored the 911 SAVES Act to reclassify 911 dispatchers as Protective Service Occupation and provide better access to mental health, training, and improving workforce stability.
- Led push to protect and expand first responders access to opioid overdose medications, which are critical in combating the fentanyl and opioid crisis.
More on Keeping Our Communities Safe
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On March 31, 2026, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) visited Gateway West, the largest homeless shelter in New Mexico, to highlight $2 million in federal funding he secured to make upgrades to the facility to bolster public safety by improving accessibility, safety, and living conditions for Albuquerque’s homeless population.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On March 24, 2026, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) led a letter — joined by 104 lawmakers from both sides of the aisle — to the Appropriations Committee requesting $55 million in funding for the Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS) Program.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On March 20, 2026, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) released the following statement in response to the one-year anniversary of the tragic Young Park shooting in Las Cruces that took the lives of three teenagers and injured 15 others on March 21, 2025.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On March 19, 2026, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) called for a vote to fund the TSA, FEMA, Coast Guard, and other Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agencies not associated with the Administration’s mass raids and deportation campaign that have resulted in the arrest, detainment, and death of American citizens.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On March 17, 2026, during a House Armed Services Committee hearing, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) pressed Department of Defense (DoD) officials for answers and accountability following the Administration’s abrupt closure of the El Paso Airport and surrounding airspace on February 11.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In January 2026, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) voted in support of over $9 billion in funding for state and local law enforcement, combating cartels, and supporting crime victims as part of the FY26 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) appropriations package.
This bill includes critical programs that help keep New Mexico safe and support local law enforcement agencies and victim service providers across the state, including:
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On February 20, 2026, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) met with Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen and Major Patrick Burk for a drone demonstration and discussion about federal funding the Congressman secured for new public safety technology to combat crime and reduce response times.
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – On February 6, 2026, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) visited La Piñon Sexual Assault Recovery Services in Las Cruces, where he met with the Executive Director, program directors, and other staff. During the visit, La Piñon staff reported that the Administration’s actions and current political climate have eroded community trust, causing a 50% drop in local residents seeking their services — particularly in southern Doña Ana County.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On February 2, 2026, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) pushed to make the federal emergency management system more efficient by cutting red tape to help communities impacted by disasters — like Ruidoso — recover and rebuild faster. In a letter to Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries, Rep.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On February 3, 2026, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) released this statement following his vote to reject a DHS funding proposal that would give the agency more money without oversight, reforms, or guardrails.