How a blue state deploys National Guard

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Photo illustration: Maura Kearns/Axios. Photos: Getty Images

? New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) is deploying the National Guard in a way she insists is distinct from President Trump's high-profile crackdown in Washington, D.C., Axios' Russell Contreras reports. Since May, 60–70 Guard members have assisted Albuquerque police with non-law enforcement duties — such as securing crime scenes, traffic control, drone operations, and booking suspects. They wear black polos and khakis instead of military fatigues, drive marked pickups, and are barred from making arrests or traffic stops. ? By the numbers: Albuquerque has seen a 24% drop in homicides in the first half of the year. Lujan Grisham argues her strategy is collaborative, not imposed, even as critics accuse her of political theater. She's now weighing deploying troops to other New Mexico communities, including Española, which faces surging overdoses and gun violence. Keep reading.