Stefani Lord, a House Representative from New Mexico, has expressed concerns regarding Senator Martin Heinrich's criticism of law enforcement. She said that his remarks raise questions about the standards for handling disruptive protests at public events. This statement was made on the social media platform X.
"Senator, You called officers “f—ing thugs” for removing a disruptive Senator from a press event," said Lord, New Mexico State Representative for 22nd District (R). "So tell me, will you be publishing your next town hall schedule, Martin Heinrich, so Rep. John Block and I can yell and disrupt without removal? According to your standard, that behavior is protected and any officer who steps in is a “thug. Should disruptive protesters be allowed to hijack that event too? Or do you only defend chaos when it suits your politics?"
In recent years, New Mexico has experienced an increase in public disruptions at political events. This has led to heightened law enforcement measures, particularly following a fatal shooting at a Las Cruces park during the legislative session in March 2025. According to the Associated Press, this incident spurred increased debate over public safety at political gatherings and resulted in the deployment of the National Guard and additional police to ensure security at contentious events.
The Associated Press reports that law enforcement in New Mexico has removed nearly 400 individuals during immigration-related protests and political events over the past several years. Many of these incidents have resulted in arrests at public rallies and demonstrations in Albuquerque, highlighting the frequent need for law enforcement intervention during politically charged gatherings.
An analysis by the Associated Press and Wikipedia indicates that official responses to political disruptions in New Mexico have evolved from aggressive crowd control methods, such as police using tear gas during the 2020 George Floyd protests, to more recent reliance on the National Guard and civilian support at legislative press events. This suggests a broader move toward layered security strategies.
According to Ballotpedia and Wikipedia, Lord is a Republican who has represented District 22 in the New Mexico House of Representatives since 2021. She has a background in psychology and serves on the Consumer and Public Affairs Committee. Lord is known for sponsoring legislation that supports law enforcement and public safety, as reflected in her public statements.
