(NewsNation) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham tells NewsNation that deploying the National Guard to combat crime in Albuquerque has led to dramatic results, with felony arrests up 22% and misdemeanor arrests increasing 30%.

The Democratic governor, who declared a public safety emergency in April and deployed several dozen National Guard troops to Albuquerque's Route 66 corridor, defended her decision as necessary to ensure residents feel safe in their communities.

"I'm not looking for a reputation. I'm looking to solve a problem until every New Mexican meets their constitutional right ... to feel safe in their church and home and grocery store," Grisham told NewsNation.

"Democrats ought to lean in to make sure that everyone in their states and communities feels and is safe," she

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