{"id":33154,"date":"2025-01-10T21:48:53","date_gmt":"2025-01-10T21:48:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/?p=33154"},"modified":"2025-01-10T21:50:04","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T21:50:04","slug":"why-pro-lifers-are-thrilled-by-nm-supreme-courts-ruling-against-sanctuary-cities-for-unborn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/why-pro-lifers-are-thrilled-by-nm-supreme-courts-ruling-against-sanctuary-cities-for-unborn\/","title":{"rendered":"Why pro-lifers are &#8216;thrilled&#8217; by NM Supreme Court&#8217;s ruling against &#8216;Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\"><strong><em>By:  Carole Novielli, originally published <a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/new-mexico-supreme-court-ruling-sanctuary-unborn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">January 10, 2025, LiveAction.org<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The New Mexico Supreme Court has&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/law.justia.com\/cases\/new-mexico\/supreme-court\/2025\/s-1-sc-39742.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ruled against<\/a>&nbsp;Lea and Roosevelt counties and the cities of Clovis and Hobbs, claiming their passage of pro-life \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/sanctuarycitiesfortheunborn.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn<\/a>\u2018 ordinances \u201cexceeded their authority by enacting ordinances preempted by state law.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">However, despite the apparent loss, the decision has \u201cthrilled\u201d legal representatives of the Cities and Counties who passed the pro-life measures, as well as pro-life activists who supported the ordinances. Why? Because the ruling&nbsp;<em>acknowledged the validity of the federal Comstock Act<\/em>, which prohibits the mailing of abortion-inducing drugs and other devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The case is being watched closely, as it has the potential to come before the United States Supreme Court, and could result in a decision to uphold the federal Comstock Act.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"763\" src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/New-mexico-Dod-1024x763.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33156\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.3420707732634338;width:820px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/New-mexico-Dod-1024x763.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/New-mexico-Dod-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/New-mexico-Dod-768x573.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/New-mexico-Dod.jpg 1057w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>History of \u2018Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn\u2019 Ordinances in New Mexico<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">That lawsuit originated in 2023 after the cities of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/new-mexico-clovis-63rd-sanctuary-city-unborn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Clovis<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/hobbs-first-sanctuary-city-unborn-new-mexico\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hobbs<\/a>&nbsp;passed&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/sanctuarycitiesfortheunborn.org\/comstock-ordinances\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn Ordinances<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/sanctuarycitiesfortheunborn.org\/comstock-ordinances\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">,<\/a>&nbsp;requiring abortion providers to comply with federal law \u2014&nbsp;namely the Comstock Act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Immediately after the ordinances passed, New Mexico&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/new-mexico-supreme-court-pro-life-ordinances\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Attorney General Ra\u00fal Torrez<\/a>&nbsp;(who has been&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%40TorrezforNM%2C%20planned%20parenthood%20&amp;src=typed_query\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">endorsed<\/a>&nbsp;by Planned Parenthood)&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/new-mexico-supreme-court-pro-life-ordinances\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">requested<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/new-mexico-supreme-court-stay-sanctuary-battles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">received<\/a>&nbsp;an&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Emergency-Petition-for-Writ-of-Mandamus.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Emergency Petition for Writ of Mandamus and Request for Stay<\/a>&nbsp;from the New Mexico Supreme Court, halting implementation of the ordinances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The state legislature then&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/new-mexico-pro-abortion-bill\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">passed<\/a>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/nmlegis.gov\/Sessions\/23%20Regular\/Amendments_In_Context\/HB0007.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HB7<\/a>, essentially declaring any ordinance that violates the state\u2019s \u201cReproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care Freedom Act\u201d as null and void.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Despite the AG\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/clearinghouse.net\/case\/43984\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lawsuit<\/a>, the City of Eunice moved forward final passage of its ordinance the same day the AG filed suit. The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1kHwoeKlQNgJ7gEFPd-RNVrya1d8-21gS\/view\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">City of Eunice<\/a>&nbsp;then&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/lawsuit-new-mexico-comstock-act\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sued<\/a>&nbsp;Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and AG Torrez, setting the stage for a showdown that could make its way to the United States Supreme Court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Oral arguments at the New Mexico Supreme Court were heard in December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>SCFTU Ordinances Required Compliance with Federal Comstock Act<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The New Mexico Supreme Court document stated:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>From our reading of the Ordinances, we distill the following: the Ordinances contain nearly identical language and seek to restrict local access to abortion services by purportedly requiring compliance with the federal Comstock Act [18 U.S.C. 12 \u00a7 1461].<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>The Comstock Act, in part, imposes felony liability for the mailing of \u2018[e]very article or thing designed, adapted, or intended for producing abortion, or for any indecent or immoral use; . . . Every article, instrument, substance, drug, medicine, or thing which is advertised or described in a manner calculated to lead another to use or apply it for producing abortion, or for any indecent or immoral purpose.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The New Mexico Supreme Court document mentioned a recent Department of Justice&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/olc\/opinion\/file\/1560596\/download\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">slip opinion<\/a>&nbsp;which argued that the long-held Comstock Act did not apply where \u201cthe sender lacks the intent that the recipient will use them unlawfully.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">This key phrase, \u201cintends them to be used unlawfully\u201d appears to indicate that the Comstock Act could be applicable when the sender mails abortion-inducing drugs where they&nbsp;<em>are<\/em>&nbsp;intended to be used \u201cunlawfully.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>The New Mexico Supreme Court\u2019s Opinion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cThe Court\u2019s unanimous opinion invalidates local ordinances by Lea and Roosevelt counties and the cities of Hobbs and Clovis that attempted to restrict access to abortion services. The Court issued an order \u2013 a writ of mandamus \u2013 prohibiting the local governments from enforcing the ordinances,\u201d a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/nmcourts.gov\/news\/latest-news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">press release<\/a>&nbsp;issued by the New Mexico court stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cBecause the court resolved the case based on state law, the justices declined to address whether the ordinances violated New Mexico constitutional protections,\u201d the release added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">According to a slip&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/39742-Opinion.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">opinion<\/a>&nbsp;of the New Mexico Supreme Court ruling in the&nbsp;<em>State ex rel. Torrez v. Bd. of Cnty. Comm\u2019rs for Lea Cnty<\/em>&nbsp;case,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/law.justia.com\/cases\/new-mexico\/supreme-court\/2025\/s-1-sc-39742.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">published<\/a>&nbsp;on January 9 by Law.Justia.com, \u201cThe ordinances at issue (collectively, the Ordinances) create blanket prohibitions on the mailing or receipt of any abortion-related instrumentality, which purport to be in \u2018compliance with federal law,\u2019 namely portions of the Comstock Act,\u201d the Court documents stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The Court also referred to the prohibition contained in the ordinances to license abortion facilities, claiming it \u201cexceeded [the ordinances\u2019] Constitutional and statutory authority.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cAdditionally, three of the Ordinances create licensing schemes (collectively, licensing Ordinances) exclusive to abortion clinics and providers that mandate clinic compliance with the Comstock Act and vest city commissioners and county managers with sole discretion for licensure approval,\u201d the New Mexico Supreme Court document stated, adding, that the counties and cities argue that they are lawfully allowed \u201cto license business and legislate for the health and safety of county and municipal inhabitants,\u201d but the Court said that the localities\u2019 \u201cauthority to regulate health care access and physician licensure is entirely preempted\u2026 they certainly have no power to supplant the will of the statewide electorate in favor of their own.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The Court said it decided the case \u201cunder the preemption doctrine\u201d and claimed, \u201cCreating a private right of action and damages award that is clearly intended to punish protected conduct far exceeds any interest that is \u2018incident[al] to the exercise of an independent municipal power.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The State of New Mexico had argued before the Court that the localities\u2019 regulation of abortion \u201ccontain an impermissible sex-based classification that presumptively violates our Equal Rights Amendment. \u2026Relatedly, the State asserts that the right to terminate a pregnancy is an inherent right embraced under the trifold protections of due process, privacy, and the inherent rights clause,\u201d according to the court document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cBecause we conclude the Ordinances, in their entirety, plainly conflict with provisions of the Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care Freedom Act (the Health Care Freedom Act or the Act), NMSA 1978, \u00a7\u00a7 24-34-1 to -5 (2023), we hold the Ordinances are preempted by state law,\u201d the document read.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.santafenewmexican.com\/news\/local_news\/n-m-supreme-court-rules-local-governments-cannot-restrict-abortion-access\/article_b61c5e60-ceb3-11ef-9fca-8bf1b4ae01c8.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"609\" height=\"740\" src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/NM-Sante-fe.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33157\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/NM-Sante-fe.jpg 609w, https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/NM-Sante-fe-247x300.jpg 247w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 609px) 100vw, 609px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The Court\u2019s opinion, written by Justice C. Shannon Bacon with an additional four justices concurring, concluded that, \u201cOur Legislature granted to counties and municipalities all powers and duties not inconsistent with the laws of New Mexico. The Ordinances violate this core precept and invade the Legislature\u2019s authority to regulate access to and provision of reproductive health care. Therefore, based on the independent and adequate state law grounds provided in the Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care Freedom Act, the Medical Practice Act, the Medical Malpractice Act, and the Health Care Code, as well as the Uniform Licensing Act, we hold the Ordinances are preempted in their entirety. Accordingly, we grant the writ of mandamus prohibiting Respondents from enforcing the Ordinances.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>SCFTU Ordinances Brought on by Dobbs Decision<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The Justices noted that the ordinances were a direct result of the overturning of&nbsp;<em>Roe v. Wade<\/em>&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<em>Dobbs v. Jackson Women\u2019s Health<\/em>&nbsp;Supreme Court case, making \u201cthe authority to regulate abortions a state issue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cDobbs invited the kind of intrastate conflicts created by the Ordinances,\u201d the opinion by the New Mexico Supreme Court stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The Court document mentioned the state-funded&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/new-mexico-gov-abortion-center-state-border\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$10 million abortion facility<\/a>&nbsp;\u201cin Do\u00f1a Ana County on the state\u2019s southern border.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cOf central importance to this proceeding, the Health Care Freedom Act, the first substantive enactment affirmatively addressing the right to access reproductive health care in New Mexico, went into effect June 16, 2023,\u201d the document also stated. It added:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>The Act prohibits any public body, entity, or individual from interfering with access to reproductive or gender-affirming health care and imposes penalties for violations of the Act\u2019s provisions.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>As public bodies, all cities and counties within the state\u2014including Hobbs, Clovis, Lea County, and Roosevelt County\u2014are subject to the language of the Act. Further, the Act creates a private right of action to bring suit against any public body or entity for violating the Act\u2026Notably, the Ordinances emerged amidst these significant legislative and executive actions protecting access to abortion.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/us-news\/new-mexico-supreme-court-strikes-local-abortion-restrictions-rcna187031?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma&amp;taid=67802b06f9268c00011538c5&amp;utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"775\" src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/NM-nbc-x.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33158\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/NM-nbc-x.jpg 580w, https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/NM-nbc-x-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Appeal to the Supreme Court Likely<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Attorney Mike Seibel, who also represented the City of Hobbs in the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/caselookup.nmcourts.gov\/caselookup\/app?component=cnLink&amp;page=SearchResults&amp;service=direct&amp;session=T&amp;sp=SS-1-SC-39742\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">case<\/a>, previously&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/showdown-abortion-laws-supreme-court-battle-comstock\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">speculated<\/a>&nbsp;that because of \u201cthe liberal makeup of the New Mexico Supreme Court,\u201d his clients were \u201canticipating an appeal to the United States Supreme Court on the Comstock law.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Ironically, at least two U.S. Supreme Court Justices previously&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/four-shocking-admissions-supreme-court-abortion-pill\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hinted<\/a>&nbsp;that the Comstock Act could be in play during oral&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3gAHaGpADvk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">arguments<\/a>&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<em>Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (AHM) v. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)<\/em>&nbsp;lawsuit, which&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/separating-fact-fiction-supreme-court-abortion-pill\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">challenged<\/a>&nbsp;the legitimacy of the FDA\u2019s recent expansions of the abortion pill. While not ruling on the merits of that case, the Court&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/supreme-court-doctors-fda-abortion-pill-safety\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">later ruled<\/a>&nbsp;that the Plaintiffs did not have standing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Today, abortion providers in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/showdown-abortion-laws-supreme-court-battle-comstock\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">multiple states<\/a>&nbsp;are&nbsp;<em>admittedly<\/em>&nbsp;shipping the drugs \u201cunlawfully\u201d into states that prohibit them or restrict telehealth dispensing. In fact, abortion pills continue flooding into states that either restrict abortion or fully protect preborn children except when the life of the mother is at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">As such, states are struggling to enforce their own laws, forcing those states to appeal to the Supreme Court to trigger the federal Comstock Act\u2019s enforcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">As Live Action News&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/three-states-sue-fda-abortion-pill-expansion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">previously<\/a>&nbsp;documented, Missouri, Kansas and Idaho filed a lawsuit on October 14, 2024, in Amarillo, Texas, asking the Courts to weigh in on the expansion of the abortion pill. The plaintiffs in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/s3.documentcloud.org\/documents\/25222818\/mifepristone-complaint.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>State of Missouri; State of Kansas; State of Idaho v. FDA<\/em><\/a>&nbsp;are also requesting that the Courts enforce the Comstock Act and grant them the ability to \u201cvindicate [their] sovereign, quasi-sovereign, and proprietary interests, including [their] interests in protecting [their] citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Attorney Jonathan F. Mitchell of Mitchell Law PLLC, counsel for the Cities of Hobbs and Clovis in the current New Mexico case, reiterated a possible Supreme Court challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cWe are thrilled with the New Mexico Supreme Court\u2019s ruling. This is the first court to hold that an ordinance requiring compliance with the federal Comstock Act prohibits the shipment and receipt of abortion-related paraphernalia in states where abortion remains legal,\u201d Mitchell said. \u201cWe look forward to litigating these issues in other states and bringing the meaning of the federal Comstock Act to the Supreme Court of the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">On his social media accounts, Mark Lee Dickson, Founder of the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn Initiative, said he was \u201cthrilled\u201d with the decision as well, emphasizing that he dies not think the New Mexico Supreme Court realizes \u201cwhat they have done,\u201d suggesting this case could lead to a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/showdown-abortion-laws-supreme-court-battle-comstock\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Supreme Court showdown<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MarkLeeDickson\/status\/1877455222404211007?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1877455222404211007%7Ctwgr%5Edf4ea4ae30c69756a45a735c0ecc9e70e1c6b8e1%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.liveaction.org%2Fnews%2Fnew-mexico-supreme-court-ruling-sanctuary-unborn%2F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"594\" height=\"383\" src=\"https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/NM-x-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33159\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5509138381201044;width:622px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/NM-x-3.jpg 594w, https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/NM-x-3-300x193.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 594px) 100vw, 594px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cThese ordinances remain on the books and it remains a federal crime for anyone to ship or receive abortion-related materials in these cities and counties, or anywhere else in New Mexico. I look forward to more cities and counties throughout New Mexico recognizing the Comstock Act in their jurisdiction,\u201d Dickson wrote. \u201cNew Mexico citizens who are interested in seeing their cities and counties pass ordinances doing as much as they can to protect mothers and their unborn children are encouraged to sign the online petition at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/sanctuarycitiesfortheunborn.com\/online-petition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sanctuarycitiesfortheunborn.com\/online-petition<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\"><strong><em>Carole Novielli is an author and journalist at Live Action News with over thirty years of research experience on abortion, Planned Parenthood and eugenics.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By: Carole Novielli, originally published January 10, 2025, LiveAction.org The New Mexico Supreme Court has&nbsp;ruled against&nbsp;Lea and Roosevelt counties and the cities of Clovis and Hobbs, claiming their passage of pro-life \u2018Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn\u2018 ordinances \u201cexceeded their authority by enacting ordinances preempted by state law.\u201d However, despite the apparent loss, the decision has&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":33155,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.6 - 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