Rep. Gabe Vasquez Hosts Public Safety Roundtable with Las Cruces Law Enforcement to Prevent Youth Violence

LAS CRUCES, N.M.- On April 8, 2026, following the one-year anniversary of the tragic Young Park shooting, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02)hosted a public safety roundtable in Las Cruces to reaffirm his ongoing commitment to improving youth public safety in the community. The Congressman met with community leaders like Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story, Las Cruces Mayor Eric Enriquez, and others to assess progress, identify remaining challenges, and discuss what next steps are needed to sustain and expand youth safety initiatives.

"For many, especially the families who lost loved ones, the pain of March 21, 2025 very much remains," said Vasquez."My heart is with every victim, survivor, and loved one still navigating the long road to healing."

"We all know violence like this has no place in Las Cruces or any community. Our young people deserve better, and we owe it to them to not just remember, but to act," continued Vasquez. "Over the past year, I've taken on Big Tech companies demanding they take action to curb illegal gun sales and bullying on their platforms, promoted responsible gun ownership by supporting Ethan's Law, and secured millions for local law enforcement throughout our district."

Last year, Congressman Vasquez convened a similar roundtable in the immediate aftermath of the Young Park shooting. Since that meeting, the Congressman has improved youth public safety by securing resources for local law enforcement, expanding access to mental health support for young people, and investing in safe spaces for local youth like the Boys & Girls Club. Rep. Vasquez also sent a letterto Big Tech CEOs at Meta, SnapChat, and Telegram demanding that they take action to curb illegal gun sales and bullying on their platforms, which lead to real-world youth violence. This letter was sent after local law enforcement officers in New Mexico flagged to the Congressman that illegal gun sales and bullying on these platforms are a key driver of youth violence in New Mexico communities.

Rep. Vasquez continues to take concrete action to prevent youth violence in Las Cruces and across New Mexico, including:

• Securing Resources to Keep Our Communities Safe:
  • Secured over $9 billionin public safety funding for state and local law enforcement to keep our kids safe, combat cartels, and support crime victims
  • Secured $1 millionfor new streetlights and infrastructure in Las Cruces through the Lift Up Las Cruces Project, keeping Las Cruces' streets better lit at night to keep pedestrians safe.
  • Secured $1.06 million for the Albuquerque Police Department to deploy more public safety camerasfor the "Real Time Crime Center," strengthening crime prevention, intervention, and investigation efforts across the city and in Albuquerque Public Schools.
  • Secured $500,000for Bernalillo County to acquire advanced public safety hardware and software, including gunshot detection technology, to improve law enforcement efficiency and crime response speed.
• Pushing for Youth Violence Prevention
  • Secured $1.4 millionfor the Boys and Girls Club of Las Cruces to renovate the facility and provide Las Cruces youth a safe space to learn, grow, and relax outside of school hours.
  • Cosponsor of the Latino Youth Mental Health Empowerment Actto improve mental health among the Hispanic and Latino youth populations and expand access to services for all young New Mexicans.
  • Joined a letter pushing for $20 million for the Department of Justice's Children Exposed to Violence initiative in the 2027 government funding bill, and requested at least $10 million to be used for the Youth Violence Prevention Program to prevent young people in New Mexico from getting involved with gangs.
  • Cosigned a letter supporting $130 million for the Youth Mentoring Program under the Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in the 2027 government funding bill to prevent New Mexico's young people from dropping out of school, using illegal substances and becoming involved in violence.
• Combating Online Threats for Youth
  • Sent a letterto Big Tech CEOs at Meta, SnapChat, and Telegram demanding that they take action to curb illegal gun sales and cyber bullying on their platforms. This letter was sent after local law enforcement officers flagged illegal gun sales and bullying on these platforms as a driver of youth violence in New Mexico communities.
  • Cosponsor of the Combating Cartels on Social Media Actto require DHS to develop and implement a national strategy to combat illicit recruitment of American citizens through social media and introduced the No More Narcos Act to create a coordinated educational campaign led by the Department of Justice to teach middle and high school students within 100 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border about the dangers of working with cartels
• Promoting Responsible Gun Ownership and Gun Safety:
  • Cosponsored Ethan's Law to require that all firearms be locked and secured in homes with minors or individuals who would be legally prohibited from owning a gun to keep guns out of the hands of those who shouldn't have them.
  • Supports the Bipartisan Background Checks Act to require a background check for all gun sales.

###