Since Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court last summer, three cities and two counties in New Mexico have passed ordinances to obey federal law and not allow abortion within their borders. But in mid-March, Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a new abortion-rights bill that overrides any local ordinances aimed at limiting access to abortion procedures and medications.
In a separate action in March, the Democratic state attorney general urged the New Mexico Supreme Court to intervene against those local pro-life ordinances. On Friday, the New Mexico Supreme Court did exactly that, issuing an order barring the local entities from taking that action.
Elisa Martinez of the New Mexico Alliance for Life tells AFN the state's high court is acting as a legislature – not a court. "New Mexicans will suffer," she warns. "These local cities and counties that elected individuals at the local level to represent them are being misrepresented by this overreach by the New Mexico Supreme Court."
According to Martinez, such action by the high court is nothing new. She points out it's the same court that ordered the state to pay for abortions 20 years ago – and argues that today is essentially a backup for the legislature's Democrats who are beholden to the abortion lobby.
"This court has a pattern of legislating from the bench, especially in the area of abortion," she explains. "It's unfortunate but predictable fashion from [a court that] is stacked with radical leftists and Democrats who are inserting themselves in the lawmaking process by issuing a stay on our city and county ordinances that have banned abortion at the local level."
Martinez is calling for the Church, nationally, to become involved.
"This is the plan and the agenda for the rest of the country," the pro-lifer concludes. "We really have to fight back and take on the spiritual armor of Christ in the battle. We ask for prayers for the lives of these women, children, and families affected by these radical laws that seek to end life and destroy our most innocent brothers and sisters."
The New Mexico cities (Hobbs, Clovis, and Eunice) and counties (Lea and Roosevelt) already have legal help available if they should decide to challenge the court.
