(Online Version): https://www.abortionfreenm.com/news/from-sidewalk-rescues-to-doj-complaints-pro-life-group-expands-pressure-on-new-mexico-abortion-industry

A newborn's story reveals the mission driving Abortion Free New Mexico's comprehensive efforts for life.

By Bud Shaver,

Albuquerque, New Mexico -- The birth of a baby boy this month is highlighting both the life-saving work of sidewalk outreach and the broader debate over New Mexico's growing role as a regional abortion destination.

The child, Nathan, was born March 2 after his mother encountered volunteers from an Abortion Free New Mexico (AFNM) sidewalk outreach team outside a New Mexico abortion facility late last year.

At the time, she was 24 weeks pregnant.

The couple spoke only Spanish, creating an immediate language barrier.

Using Google Translate, practical support, and compassionate conversation, volunteers were able to communicate with the mother and offer encouragement and resources. Despite difficult circumstances, she ultimately chose life.

Nathan was born healthy.

His name means "Gift of God."

For AFNM leaders, the story reflects the core mission that has guided the organization's work across New Mexico — saving lives.

A Mission Centered on Saving Lives

While Abortion Free New Mexico has increasingly become known for its investigative work, legislative testimony, and public accountability efforts, leaders say those initiatives have always existed to support the organization's original mission: reaching mothers and saving lives.

Unlike many national organizations that focus primarily on a single strategy, AFNM says its approach has always involved multiple efforts working together — including sidewalk outreach, prayer, investigative research, legislative engagement, and public education.

The organization also emphasizes cooperation across the broader pro-life movement.​ "There is a place for everyone in the pro-life movement," said Tara Shaver, spokesperson for Abortion Free New Mexico.

"While not every group approaches the work the same way, from our end we are committed to as much unity as possible among those working to defend life. We don't believe there is one silver bullet that will end abortion in New Mexico. Real change will come through many different efforts working together — from helping mothers directly to ultimately achieving the political solutions many other states have already reached." Nathan's story represents the kind of life-saving moment those diverse efforts are ultimately meant to make possible.
 

New Mexico Becoming a Regional Abortion Destination

Nathan's story also highlights a broader trend AFNM says has emerged in recent years, with New Mexico becoming a regional destination for abortion as women increasingly travel from surrounding states seeking procedures.

Following theU.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, abortion travel into New Mexico has increased significantly as the state maintained some of the most permissive abortion policies in the region.

According to a Guttmacher Institute provider survey, an estimated 21,000 abortions occurred in New Mexico in 2023 — a dramatic increase widely attributed to out-of-state abortion travel.

AFNM has been among the most vocal organizations documenting what it describes as "abortion tourism" flowing into New Mexico, a term the organization helped bring into national focus as abortion travel into the state increased dramatically after Roe v. Wade was overturned.

The organization has repeatedly published reports and graphics highlighting the trend, and recently launched a three-billboard interstate campaign in Texas aimed at countering efforts promoting New Mexico as a destination for abortion. The campaign also responds to pro-abortion billboards in New Mexico celebrating expanded abortion access in the state.

AFNM leaders Bud and Tara Shaver originally moved to New Mexico more than a decade ago to investigate and expose the state's role as a destination for late-term abortion procedures, a reality that led them to publicly describe New Mexico as the "Late-Term Abortion Capital." Their work documenting late-term abortion practices helped bring national attention to the issue and contributed to the organization's growing prominence within the broader pro-life movement.

Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, AFNM leaders say the dynamic has expanded significantly, with women now traveling to New Mexico for abortions at all stages of pregnancy, not only late-term procedures. The shift has also coincided with the rapid growth of chemical abortions, which now account for an estimated 63% of abortions nationally, a trend AFNM says is increasingly reflected in New Mexico's abortion landscape.​

AFNM leaders say these developments reinforce the importance of direct outreach to mothers alongside broader efforts to expose and challenge abortion practices in the state. "New Mexico has effectively become an abortion destination for the region," Shaver said.

"Our leaders are expanding abortion access while eliminating transparency, and the public deserves to know what is happening."

Recent Efforts in 2026

AFNM leaders say 2026 alone has already demonstrated the breadth of the organization's work, combining direct outreach to mothers with legislative oversight, investigative reporting, and public awareness campaigns.

Recent efforts this year include:

Sidewalk Outreach and Life-Saving Encounters
AFNM volunteers continue regular outreach outside abortion facilities across the state, offering practical help, resources, and the Gospel to women facing crisis pregnancies.

Legislative Oversight During the 2026 Session
AFNM representatives testified during committee hearings on abortion-related legislation, including Senate Bill 30, which repealed New Mexico's abortion reporting requirement — a move that removes the state's longstanding mandate to report induced abortions to public health authorities.  

Formal Complaint Filed with the New Mexico Department of Justice
Following testimony during legislative hearings acknowledging that abortion reporting laws had not been enforced for years, AFNM filed a complaint seeking accountability and clarification regarding the state's oversight of abortion reporting.

Public Records Requests and Investigative Research
AFNM has filed multiple IPRA requests seeking records related to abortion practices and fetal tissue research connected to the University of New Mexico following changes in federal research funding policy.

Interstate Billboard Campaign
To counter efforts promoting New Mexico as an abortion destination, AFNM launched a three-location interstate billboard campaign in Texas, drawing attention to abortion travel into the state.

Public Reporting on Abortion Travel Trends
The organization continues publishing reports and graphics highlighting the rise in out-of-state abortion travel and the growing use of chemical abortions, which now account for about 63% of abortions nationally, according to data from the Guttmacher Institute. 

​Yet AFNM leaders say the purpose of every one of these efforts ultimately points back to moments like Nathan's story — when someone shows up and a life is saved.
 

"This Is Why We Show Up"

Despite the organization's expanding investigations and legal efforts, AFNM leaders say the heart of their work remains moments like Nathan's story. "We can conduct investigations, testify before lawmakers, and file complaints," Shaver said.

"But the most important work still happens when someone stands on the sidewalk and offers hope to a mother who believes she has none." Nathan's birth, she said, is proof those encounters matter. "Nathan is here today because someone showed up."

"New Mexico has become an abortion destination for the region. But when people show up with truth, help, and the Gospel, lives can still be saved. That's why we will continue showing up — on the sidewalks, in the legislature, and in the public square — because every life is worth defending."

— Tara Shaver, Abortion Free New Mexico

AFNM says the sidewalks outside abortion facilities remain places where lives can still be saved.

Nathan's story is a reminder that even as policy battles intensify, the mission remains simple:

show up, offer hope, and save lives whenever possible.

The organization is currently recruiting volunteers and hosting training events for those interested in getting involved.

About Abortion Free New Mexico

Abortion Free New Mexico is a pro-life advocacy organization focused on research, investigative reporting, legislative engagement, and sidewalk outreach. The organization trains volunteers to offer compassionate support and practical resources to women outside abortion facilities while pursuing transparency and accountability surrounding abortion policy in New Mexico.

✚ Abortion Free New Mexico
Standing for Life. Sharing the Gospel

​🌐 AbortionFreeNM.com

Abortion Free New Mexico leaders Bud and Tara Shaver have served as full-time pro-life missionaries in New Mexico since 2010, focusing on investigative research, public documentation, and outreach.

Their work has drawn national attention, with critics describing them as among the country's most outspoken opponents of abortion.In collaboration with Operation Rescue and Fr. Stephen Imbarrato, the Shavers conducted groundbreaking investigative research that brought national scrutiny to New Mexico's abortion practices, helping establish the state as a destination for late-term abortions based on publicly documented findings and national reporting.

Following the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, the Shavers' work has expanded to document the sharp increase in out-of-state abortion travel into New Mexico, often referred to as abortion tourism, and the resulting strain on oversight, transparency, and patient safety. Today, Abortion Free New Mexico is pressing state and federal lawmakers to address the lack of routine licensing, inspections, and accountability for abortion clinics operating in New Mexico.
Learn more about why New Mexico became a focal point: 

• A Decade of Ministry: Ten-Year Review and Highlights
• In the News: Media Coverage & Public Reporting

By official measures, the Mexican wolf recovery program is a success. The latest count reports 319 wolves in Arizona and New Mexico—just one animal shy of the recovery benchmark. Because these figures represent minimum counts rather than a full census, the true population is almost certainly higher.

For many Americans, especially in cities, that sounds like an environmental triumph: a species brought back from the brink.

But numbers alone do not tell the full story.

By Paul J. Gessing

The passage of medical malpractice reform is the most important public policy success in New Mexico in more than a decade. It took support from New Mexicans of every political stripe and a bi-partisan coalition in the Legislature to achieve this success, but at long last the State's malpractice-driven doctor shortage may be over.

In addition to the medical malpractice bill, the Legislature entered New Mexico into the national doctor compact and enacted a $10K tax credit for physicians. Combined, this may be enough to start turning the tide. It is cause for celebration, but please don't misunderstand, New Mexico still faces major challenges in attracting and retaining doctors.

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AFTER NIH FUNDING BAN, UNM FACES QUESTIONS OVER DOCUMENTED USE OF ABORTED BABIES IN MEDICAL RESEARCH

Online Version): https://www.abortionfreenm.com/news/after-nih-funding-ban-unm-faces-questions-over-documented-use-of-aborted-babies-in-medical-research

Federal funding shift intensifies scrutiny of UNM's December 2025 tissue oversight policy and past congressional findings involving aborted baby tissue transfers.

By Bud Shaver,

Albuquerque, New Mexico --In January 2026, the National Institutes of Health publicly announced that it will no longer fund research involving fetal tissue obtained from elective abortions. The decision affects all NIH grants and contracts and marks a significant shift in federal research funding standards for publicly funded institutions nationwide. According to NIH data, dozens of such projects were funded as recently as fiscal year 2024.

Just weeks earlier, on December 9, 2025, the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center finalized its policy outlining oversight of human tissue in research — a policy released following an IPRA request filed by Tara Shaver of Abortion Free New Mexico.

Since you reported on my saying bitchin' and bickering, I sent an email to the Cobre Schools office and told them the meaning of the words—bitch, which I did not use. Bitch is a female dog, wolf or fox and has nothing to do with a vulgar word people use as slang but it is not the right meaning. If you are a hunter or dog trainer, you have a stud and bitch dogs to have and raise pups.

Bitichin' in 1920 meant wild, sick, out of control. In 1960 it meant cool, wild, fantastic, crazy and was a good thing. But it has always meant whiny crybabies.

You reported what I said and did a good job reporting. I have never been short on words and do not care if they like me. I was elected to do a job, if all that can be done is them fighting with each other then we will not get much done.

THE EPSTIEN INVESTIGATION AND SELECTIVE ACCOUNTABILITY

(Online Version): https://www.abortionfreenm.com/news/the-epstein-investigation-and-selective-accountability

Is New Mexico leadership ready for global scrutiny?​

By Bud Shaver,

Albuquerque, New Mexico — As New Mexico proceeds with its investigation connected to Jeffrey Epstein's former Zorro Ranch, Abortion Free New Mexico (AFNM) is raising serious concerns about institutional credibility, selective accountability, and structural conflicts of interest within the state's long-standing political infrastructure.

[Editor's Note: This information was found in a commentary sent to me and written by an unknown person. I could not learn who wrote it and therefore did not receive permission to post the entire document. I chose the salient parts of it in order to inform Beat readers.]

No Republican candidate has qualified for the U.S. Senate seat, now held by Ben Ray Lújan, including announced candidate Christopher Vanden Heuvel, due to his not having enough valid signatures on his nominating petitions. According to the state, the required minimum number for Republicans seeking the Senate seat via the pre-primary convention route was 2,351. That number is calculated as 2 percent of the total votes cast for the party's gubernatorial candidates in the last relevant primary election.

Vanden Heuvel, who was the only Republican who filed for the seat, did not qualify after the Secretary of State's Office reviewed and invalidated signatures, because of the person not being a registered Republican, not residing in the state or for duplicate signatures.

He was not the only candidate disqualified, as two Republicans and one Democrat also fell short across other races for the same reasons.