Gun proposals causing sheriffs to take action

Several counties in New Mexico are attempting to pass resolutions to become Second Amendment Sanctuary counties.The proposals come as several gun-control proposals make their way through the Legislature.Cibola County Sheriff Tony Mace is on the board of the New Mexico Sheriffs’ Association. He, along with 28 other sheriffs, are trying to pass or have passed resolutions to not require their deputies to enforce the gun bills that are before state lawmakers.“We have 29 sheriffs stand up and speak in (the) Legislature, saying we don’t support these bills. It’s not what we want. They don’t help us in our day-to-day jobs,” Mace said.Mace said many of the proposals are unenforceable, unconstitutional and do not help protect the people in his community.“You simply cannot legislate the evil out of people’s hearts and minds,” said Mace. “They’re going to do what they’re going to do. A background check is not going to stop you.”One proposal would expand the requirements for background checks on gun sales and transfers. “We don’t run our background check system. The federal government does. So, how can the state mandate the federal government to do these background checks?” Mace said.Another proposal would allow the courts to order people who are deemed a threat to others or themselves to surrender their weapons to officers on a temporary basis.“I don’t want to be the guy coming and seizing personal property without due process. I don’t want to violate your Second Amendment right to bear arms. I don’t want to be the person that abridges your right to exercise the Second Amendment the way you want to,” Mace said. Mace told Action 7 News, at the end of the day, the bills are unconstitutional. According to the New Mexico Sheriffs’ Association, the 29 counties that are working to become Second Amendment Sanctuary counties or already have passed a resolution are: Catron CountyChavez CountyCibola CountyColfax CountyCurry CountyDe Baca CountyEddy CountyGrant CountyGuadalupe CountyHarding CountyHidalgo County Lea CountyLincoln CountyLuna CountyMcKinley County Mora CountyOtero CountyQuay CountyRio Arriba CountyRoosevelt CountySan Miguel CountySan Juan CountySandoval CountySierra CountySocorro CountyTaos CountyTorrance CountyUnion CountyValencia CountyThere are three counties the association said are either against becoming Sanctuary Second Amendment counties or do not want to take a side. All have a metropolitan city.They are:Bernalillo CountyDona Ana CountySanta Fe CountyAccording to the association, it has not heard back from Los Alamos County. “What you see is metro versus rural. You have Dona Ana County, which is Las Cruces, Bernalillo County, which is Albuquerque, and Santa Fe County, which is Santa Fe,” Mace said. “Those are your metro areas in our state. Those are the heavy populated areas.”He said rural counties deal with similar crimes as metropolitan counties do, but not in the same volume. According to Mace, if the bills do get signed by the governor and become law, there will be lawsuits filed.

Note to readers: Please click the share buttons above or below. Forward this article to your email lists. Crosspost on your blog site, social media, internet forums. etc.