OPINION: Albuquerque deserves better: The true state of our city

Mayor Tim Keller keeps repeating that Albuquerque is “making a comeback.” But no matter how many times he says it, he can’t hide the truth: Albuquerque is in trouble. Our families don’t feel safe, our neighborhoods are suffering and the city we love is at a tipping point.

Crime has reached record highs. Keller keeps saying that crime is dropping for the first time in 10 years. But look at the facts. In 2014, there were 30 homicides in Albuquerque. In 2024, there were 97, according to APD. According to FBI data, Albuquerque remains one of the most dangerous cities in America. Under Keller’s watch, people don’t feel safe walking in their own neighborhoods. Businesses are being broken into night after night. What happened to the city we once knew?

Government’s most fundamental duty is to keep people safe. That will be my top priority as mayor. I will hire a strong and inspirational chief of police — someone who earns the respect of officers and the public and is relentless about fighting crime. The department’s bloated bureaucracy will be restructured. The days of padded ranks at the top while our streets go unpatrolled are over. Officers will be back on the beat, empowered to proactively police and reclaim our city from criminals who have treated Albuquerque as a safe haven for far too long.

Our crime crisis is fueled by failed policies — chief among them, Albuquerque’s status as a sanctuary city. This reckless policy has shielded dangerous criminals while leaving law-abiding citizens exposed. That ends under my administration. If someone is here illegally and charged with a crime, Immigration and Customs Enforcement will be allowed to do its job. Law-abiding families deserve protection, not a system that prioritizes criminals who game the rules.

Our parks, sidewalks and neighborhoods have been overtaken by sprawling homeless encampments. These tent cities breed lawlessness, filth and hopelessness. They’re a public health hazard and a symbol of leadership failure.

On day one, these camps will come down. Our city will be clean year-round — not just when Balloon Fiesta rolls around. We will offer real help to those who want to change their lives — shelter, services, treatment programs. But for those who refuse, we will strictly enforce the law. Families, children and small businesses should not be held hostage while public spaces turn into wastelands.

Albuquerque’s small businesses — the backbone of our economy — are collapsing under the weight of crime, homelessness and City Hall’s red tape. These entrepreneurs create jobs, opportunities and hope, yet they feel abandoned.

I will fight for them. That means protecting storefronts, cutting unnecessary regulations, expediting processes and proving to business owners that City Hall is their partner, not their enemy. When our small businesses thrive, Albuquerque thrives.

For all these challenges, I refuse to forget what makes Albuquerque special. We are blessed with breathtaking views, a climate the rest of the nation envies and a vibrant, diverse community that is the heartbeat of Duke City. We are worth fighting for.

But we cannot keep ignoring reality. The National Guard was deployed to our streets. City employees clean up human waste from sidewalks. We rank on the wrong side of too many national lists. We are losing ground — and the clock is running out.

I believe Albuquerque can change course. But it will take courage, urgency and leadership that doesn’t flinch.

This is our city. Our home. Our future. It’s worth fighting for. I’m ready to do just that — for you, for your family and for the generations to come.

No, Albuquerque is not making a comeback. Under Tim Keller’s eight years of failed leadership, the city has fallen behind. We don’t need a Hail Mary — we need a new mayor. If I’m elected, I promise we will fight back. Together, we can make Albuquerque safe, strong and proud once again.

Darren White is the former Bernalillo County sheriff and Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Public Safety.