Last Sunday, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico invited Texas doctors to consider moving to her state due to Texas’s strict abortion laws.
The governor took out a full-page ad in five major Texas newspapers, addressing Texas healthcare providers directly. The ad featured an “open letter” inviting them to practice in New Mexico, where there are no such restrictions.
Lujan Grisham’s letter acknowledged the challenges Texas doctors face due to the state’s stringent abortion ban. She expressed understanding for those who stay in Texas but offered a welcoming environment in New Mexico for those who are struggling with these limitations.
She assured that New Mexico is committed to protecting healthcare workers’ rights and vowed that there would be no interference with their ability to care for patients.
Texas has some of the strictest abortion laws in the U.S., banning the procedure in nearly all cases. It is one of 22 states with abortion restrictions more severe than those set by Roe v. Wade, which was overturned in 2022.
Lujan Grisham’s initiative, known as the “Free to Provide” campaign, includes billboard advertisements encouraging healthcare providers to relocate to New Mexico.
In response, Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s press secretary, Andrew Mahaleris, criticized the move, suggesting that Lujan Grisham should focus on New Mexico’s own issues rather than engaging in political maneuvers.