The Wild West is losing some of its free rein after a new law went into effect that requires background checks to be completed for New Mexico residents before purchasing a firearm. 

Implemented on July 1, the new gun law is receiving mixed responses from state lawmakers and residents.

"We don't have the tools necessary to actually enforce that law," New Mexico Sheriffs Association President Tony Mace told KOAT. "It's going to be a law that's on the books that's not used. We don't have a system in place to track firearms."

People who are convicted of any domestic violence or that have a restraining order against them will face restrictions under the new law. 

New Mexico is an open-carry state, making it legal for most adults to carry guns without a license in public places. There are exceptions to this under certain circumstances. 

"Our crime and our gun violence in New Mexico are at an all-time high," New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence Co-President Miranda Viscolli told KDAT. "We have way too many young people getting ahold of guns. This will help make sure that doesn't happen." 

A New Mexico Sun op-ed piece by New Mexico Shooting Sports Association President Zac Fort, featured on July 6, said that politicians are using the term 'gun-violence' as a "rhetorical escape from discussing the real problems that plague our state. 

"What they call 'gun-violence' would be more aptly described as 'failed-justice-system-violence' or 'lack-of-economic-opportunity-violence,'" Fort argued. "Too many New Mexicans are entrenched in cycles of poverty and abuse. Putting the target on New Mexico gun owners isn’t going to break a single one of those cycles."

According to the FBI, homicide rates in New Mexico rose in 2019, the same year the law went into effect that criminalized private firearm sales. The homicide rate slightly decreased in 2020 and there has been a record number of homicides that have already occurred in 2021.