ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Hundreds gathered in Albuquerque’s Tiguex Park angry and shocked after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Others gathered outside an Albuquerque abortion clinic saying they’ve waiting for this day. “It’s always been unconstitutional and a woman doesn’t have a right to kill. You have a right to kill somebody that’s threatening you, a baby is not threatening,” said Juanita Montoya.
But, with the 2021 repeal of the abortion ban in New Mexico, there are no laws on the books banning it here. New Mexico allows abortion at all stages of pregnancy. “New Mexico of course, along with our neighbor to the north, the State of Colorado, we are the island in the middle of the red. In the sea of red. We have an opportunity to work and support our sisters from other states who will be looking for support and services,” said State Senator Linda Lopez.
Planned Parenthood says they’ve been preparing for more patients. The organization says after Texas passed a bill restricting abortions last year, they saw a dramatic increase of Texas patients coming to New Mexico, a jump from around 400 patients prior to 1,700 patients in the year since.
Mississippi’s last abortion clinic, the one at the center of the Supreme Court case said in May that it is prepared to move to New Mexico if the landmark ruling was overturned. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 4,000 abortions were performed in New Mexico in 2019.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham was at the protest and says in anticipation of the decision, New Mexico took action including eliminating New Mexico’s trigger ban on abortion. She went to say that this is a war on women.
Her opponent, Mark Ronchetti said in part:
While I am pro-life, governors cannot act alone and any changes to our laws will require collaboration and agreement with the legislature. As Governor, I would seek a middle ground with our legislature that ends the practice of late-term and partial-birth abortion that the current Governor supports. I believe permitting abortion up to 15 weeks and in cases involving rape, incest, and when a mother’s life is at risk is a very reasonable position that most in New Mexico will support regardless of party affiliation.
Mark Ronchetti