The right to have an abortion remains legal in the Land of Enchantment, even after the Supreme Court’s recent decision striking down Roe vs Wade, and New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham plans to keep it that way.
The Democratic governor intends to protect the right to choose, even as many states have already instituted strict anti-abortion laws.
In a Monday, June 27 press release the governor is quoted as saying, “’As long as I am governor, abortion will continue to be legal, safe, and accessible in New Mexico.'”
To this end Gov. Lujan Grisham has signed an executive order that protects “access to reproductive health care services in New Mexico”. The executive order also protects “medical providers from attempts at legal retribution” and establishes “that New Mexico will not entertain extradition attempts from other states relating to receiving or performing reproductive services.”
WWH Relocating to New Mexico
The governor’s actions are good news for Whole Woman’s Health (WWH), the largest, independent abortion provider in Texas. On Wednesday, July 6, WWH announced that as a result of being forced to close its four Texas abortion clinics, the company is investigating opening a clinic in New Mexico in August. WWH will provide “first- and second-trimester abortions” and “is seeking a clinic site in a [New Mexico] border city….”
In addition to surgical abortions, WWH will provide medication abortions, as well as family planning, miscarriage management and obstetrics and gynecological care.
As of this writing the Lea County Tribune had no information as to whether or not Hobbs, Lovington and/or other Lea County towns are being considered by WWH as locations for a clinic. However, Hobbs is viewed as the most likely candidate.
According to an article in the NM Political Report, Andrea Ferrigno, WWH Corporate Vice President, said that WWH already has a presence in New Mexico. Two licensed providers have been offering virtual abortion care to in-state and to out-of-state patients for nearly a year. When asked where the providers are located, Ferrigno declined for “security reasons” to say. Ferrigno, also, declined to provide specifics about the new clinic WWH is planning to open in New Mexico, especially its location, stating that she did not want to draw “unwanted attention” to the project.
Other Abortion Providers to Locate in New Mexico
WWH is not the only abortion provider planning to relocate to New Mexico in the wake of the overturn of Roe vs Wade. Mississippi’s only abortion facility Jackson Women’s Health Organization is planning to relocate in Las Cruces, and California-based Choix is coming to New Mexico. Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains hopes to expand into New Mexico, and Bold Futures, a New Mexico abortion advocacy non-profit, is investigating opening a clinic in Las Cruces. The Bold Futures clinic will provide abortion care in addition to other reproductive care services.
New Mexico a Safe Haven for Women Seeking Abortions
With Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Oklahoma all banning abortion, New Mexico legal abortion climate is a viable and welcoming alternative for women seeking abortions. The state “allows late-term abortions, does not require teenagers to get parental approval and does not have a waiting period,” states an article posted at TexasTribune.org.
Still, the fact remains that New Mexico is for the most part rural, sparsely populated and struggles to provide satisfactory health care to its residents, not to mention comprehensive abortion care. Even under this cloud the state remains “… a safe haven for abortion for a large swath of the United States,” states Jolie McCullough, author of the Texas Tribune article.
The reality is that currently New Mexico has only three clinics providing surgical abortions. All are located in Albuquerque. Three other clinics offer abortion medication. Two of these clinics are located in the southern part of the state. Telemedicine companies also offer services to people with New Mexico mailing addresses. However, these resources do not begin to meet the growing need for legal abortion care within the state.
Prior to these strict abortion bans, many New Mexicans would have likely sought abortion services in other states because of the closer proximity than in-state options. However, as these states are no longer an option and with abortion clinics moving to more areas of New Mexico, New Mexicans will likely have options closer to home.
Lea Country, located so close to the Texas border, is a prime candidate for the establishment of legal abortion clinics. Such clinics would bring new businesses, expanded tourism, more jobs, additional tax dollars – the list goes on and on – to the county itself, its municipalities and stakeholders. Area residents and local officials must determine the best interests of Lea County in light of the new climate established as a result of the Supreme Court’s banning of Roe vs Wade. Abortion clinics may be incorporated into the county’s blueprint.
