New Mexico Governor Lujan Grisham seeks billions in damages over DEA fentanyl policy

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that New Mexico will pursue billions of dollars in civil damages after reports that U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents repeatedly allowed shipments of fentanyl to enter communities between 2023 and 2025 while building larger cases. She said the state will take the issue “right to the White House and Congress,” calling the federal approach “a stunning failure” that is “disgusting and despicable.”

The governor cited a 21 percent rise in overdose deaths in New Mexico, even as national rates fell. Attorney General Raúl Torrez opened a criminal investigation to determine whether DEA actions violated state law. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller described fentanyl as the city’s “No. 1 challenge,” linking the drug to rising crime, homelessness and strained health services.

Former DEA agents, including whistleblower David Howell, claim the strategy may have breached Justice Department guidelines that require agents to seize fentanyl when practicable. The DEA initially denied the allegations but later asked the Justice Department’s inspector‑general to investigate. The agency’s public‑awareness campaign “One Pill Can Kill” runs alongside the controversy.