By Bud Shaver,
Albuquerque, New Mexico— Abortion Free New Mexico is commending investigative reporting by the New Mexico Sentinel after the outlet published an undercover video report showing how a New Mexico abortion clinic allegedly assists Texas residents — including minors — in circumventing Texas abortion restrictions.
The investigation raises new questions about cross-state abortion access, oversight, and the role New Mexico clinics play in serving patients from states with abortion bans.
- Read the full report by the New Mexico Sentinel: Undercover video shows how New Mexico clinic helps Texans circumvent abortion ban, even for underage pregnant teens
The report documents conversations in which clinic staff appear to explain how Texas patients can travel to New Mexico to obtain abortions that would be illegal in their home state.
New Mexico has some of the most permissive abortion laws in the country, allowing abortion at all stages of pregnancy and placing few statewide restrictions on the procedure.
According to undercover footage published by the New Mexico Sentinel, a worker at Valley Abortion Group in Albuquerque described the clinic’s policy regarding late-term abortions:
“We go up to 34 weeks… so technically there is almost no deadline.”
— Valley Abortion Group worker, undercover recording obtained by the New Mexico Sentinel
According to Tara Shaver, spokesperson for Abortion Free New Mexico, the Sentinel investigationreinforces years of investigative research by the organization documenting how New Mexico has increasingly become a regional hub for abortion providers expanding services to out-of-state patients.
Shaver said the Sentinel’s reporting brings national attention to concerns AFNM has raised for years about cross-state abortion access and limited regulatory oversight in New Mexico.
“We commend the Sentinel for bringing public attention to what our research has been documenting for years,” said Tara Shaver of Abortion Free New Mexico. “New Mexico’s lack of oversight has created a system where abortion businesses can openly market to patients from other states — including vulnerable minors — while operating with minimal regulatory scrutiny.”
AFNM Research Previously Documented Expansion
In a recent investigative report, Abortion Free New Mexico exposed the opening of a queer-led abortion facility in Albuquerque known as Valley Abortion Group. The center advertises abortions in all stages of pregnancy, including procedures late in pregnancy.
The organization warned at the time that the facility represented part of a growing trend of abortion providers relocating or expanding operations into New Mexico following abortion bans in neighboring states.
AFNM researchers also documented how some providers are positioning New Mexico as a destination for abortion patients traveling from states like Texas.The undercover footage published by the New Mexico Sentinel appears to confirm those concerns, documenting conversations in which clinic staff allegedly explain how patients from states like Texas can travel to New Mexico to obtain abortions that would be illegal in their home state.
Evidence of a Growing “Abortion Tourism” Pipeline
Abortion Free New Mexico has repeatedly warned that the rapid expansion of abortion services tied to interstate travel raises serious oversight and public safety questions.
A separate AFNM report highlighted what the group described as a growing “abortion tourism” infrastructure, including abortion funds, transportation networks, and clinic expansion designed to accommodate large numbers of out-of-state patients.
National data has also shown a significant increase in abortions occurring in states where the procedure remains broadly legal after the Dobbs decision, with patients traveling from states that enacted restrictions.
“The Sentinel investigation reinforces what we have been warning about,”Shaver said.
“New Mexico is rapidly becoming the epicenter of a cross-state abortion industry — yet state leaders continue to refuse meaningful oversight or transparency.”
The findings raise urgent questions about regulatory oversight, patient safety, and the role New Mexico now plays in the rapidly expanding interstate abortion network.
Calls for Transparency and Oversight
Abortion Free New Mexico is calling for state officials and regulators to answer several urgent questions raised by the Sentinel’s report:
• Are New Mexico clinics advising minors from other states on how to bypass parental involvement laws?
• What regulatory oversight exists for clinics marketing services to out-of-state patients?
• Are state agencies tracking complications or medical emergencies associated with this influx of patients?
• What role do abortion funds and interstate networks play in transporting patients into New Mexico?
AFNM says these questions deserve immediate investigation by state officials.
“If abortion is being promoted as healthcare, then it should be held to the same transparency and accountability standards as every other medical industry,” said Tara Shaver of Abortion Free New Mexico. “When New Mexico is becoming a national destination for abortion providers and patients, the public has a right to know how this system is operating.”
About Abortion Free New Mexico
Abortion Free New Mexico is dedicated to exposing the abortion industry in New Mexico through investigative research, public records, and policy analysis. The organization also operates a sidewalk outreach team in Albuquerque that regularly and compassionately reaches out to women outside abortion facilities, including the Valley Abortion Group late-term abortion facility, offering support, resources, and alternatives.
More information and reports are available at:
AbortionFreeNM.com
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