The following is a transcript of an interview with New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Democrat, on “Face the Nation” which aired June 23, 2024.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we turn now to New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. She joins us this morning from Santa Fe. Good morning to you, Governor.
GOVERNMENT MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM: Hello, Margaret. Thank you for inviting me this morning.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I know President Biden issued this emergency declaration for your state because of the fires, but you also had a 200 mile long dust storm, catastrophic flooding, what problems are most acute and what do you need ?
GOVERNMENT LUJAN GRISHAM: Well, we want to continue to open the door to federal resources. FEMA is incredible on the ground. In an emergency, they bring in personnel and open the door for direct federal monetary aid to the state and, more importantly, individuals. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell was on the ground in Ruidoso yesterday. And I have to say, the Biden administration really pushed through these emergency declarations quickly so that we could get families back on their feet. But it’s been quite a week here, Margaret, between dust, heat, floods, those aren’t the only evacuations. We’ve had flood evacuations in the north, where the largest wildfire in U.S. history, one of the largest wildfires in U.S. history, has been very hard for New Mexicans. And I’m… I’m grateful to all the first responders who put them first and stand up to make sure they’re as safe as possible.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And I know we all wish the residents of your state well as they navigate all of this. You are a border state, I wonder if all this excessive heat is affecting migrants arriving from Mexico?
GOVERNMENT LUJAN GRISHAM: So we haven’t seen the kind of surges outside of ports of entry that people in other states have seen. This is not at all to say that it still carries no risks. But we haven’t seen any heat-related problems for asylum seekers, certainly not in these first six months. But your point is very valid. In fact, there have been several deaths along the New Mexico border in past years, and particularly on the Texas and California borders, due to extreme heat. But for now we are focusing on the security aspects announced by the Biden administration, which are very important for states like New Mexico to have more people at ports of entry, where risks are present every day, to really focus on human trafficking, drugs. , firearms and other contraband. And I really appreciate the president’s investment in more border security where it matters. But
MARGARET BRENNAN: Looks like you could even use more than that. I know you were here in Washington with the president when he signed that executive order that limited the ability to seek asylum for those crossing between ports of entry. You know, some of your Democratic colleagues have been very critical of this, saying that it undermines American values. Why are they wrong?
GOVERNMENT LUJAN GRISHAM: Well, they’re not wrong. I mean, frankly, the president then took a balanced approach, when he created protections and work opportunities for undocumented families, which is part of a legal right, a U.S. citizen is married to a undocumented person, or like other extended family members and DACA. recipients and dreamers can now benefit from protections. Here’s what I think he did:
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, that was a new measure last week.
(CROSSTALK)
GOVERNMENT LUJAN GRISHAM: – He focused on… oh, the new measure. So look at security: I need security first and foremost, you can’t protect everyone. And make no mistake, New Mexico, like everywhere else in the country, suffers from the number of drugs, guns and nasty issues that are exacerbated by a lack of people in the right places at the border. I also appreciate that he did something for all those other families.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah, that’s true. But that’s a different problem. For those people who have lived here for a decade and are married to an American. It’s this effort that the president approved last week, as for the executive order, the ACLU is trying to sue the Biden administration saying it was legally identical to the Trump ban it has stuck in 2019. does that bother you?
GOVERNMENT LUJAN GRISHAM: I don’t – well, it bothers me that that’s the view that they’re taking, and I certainly understand that we’re going to face a certain amount of challenges and litigation. But here’s the problem. We do not separate families. We make it very clear that you can go through a point of entry. I have a president who, unlike Congress, including when I was in Congress, is willing to focus on security, on fairness, whether it’s in one or two different decisions, and creating, I hopes, a path for Congress to stop listening to a candidate. who keeps trying to score political points, instead of solving the problems of states like mine and American families, he does both.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You’ve been a strong advocate for access, I should say, access to reproductive health. This week marks the second anniversary of the overturning of Roe vs. Wade. And yet, in 2023, America had the highest number and rate of abortions in over a decade. Why do you think there are more abortions at a time when access is reduced?
GOVERNMENT LUJAN GRISHAM: Well, I think there are more abortions because more women are at risk, meaning they can’t find a provider, they can’t get prenatal care. You have providers who are worried about lawsuits and many other issues that interfere with their ability to provide care, less access to contraceptives, less public health information, less ability to access your doctor from first resort. Most families and women live eighty-six miles from a provider – you are creating a draconian situation; you will increase the risk in every location. And this is a state that is clearly committed to protecting women and creating equality, but that’s what I believe is the genesis of this situation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: All right, Governor, good luck dealing with all these emergencies in your state. We will follow them. Face the Nation will be back in a minute. Stay with us.
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