Santa Fe, NM — Senator Nicole Tobiassen (R-Albuquerque) today responded publicly to a petition filed with the NM Supreme Court yesterday by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and several progressive lawmakers. Tobiassen blasted the petition, which seeks to prevent the temporary removal of drug-exposed newborn infants from homes in which they are patently unsafe.
"The ACLU, together with their leftist partners in the legislature, are taking an extreme position," observed Sen. Tobiassen. "Even blue states such as Maryland and Minnesota define drug exposure in newborns as abuse or neglect and require interventions to remove children from unsafe living conditions. New Mexico can and should continue to prioritize the best interest of the child in such cases."
While the ACLU petition appears to argue for a blind allegiance to "preserving family unity," child welfare advocates note that, in the last year alone, New Mexico courts have upheld the removal of over 160 drug-exposed babies from parents who put these precious infants at risk of injury or even death.
Senator Tobiassen questioned which "civil liberties" the ACLU is fighting for, asking "Do these 'liberties' include the right to endanger one's own child?!"
Tobiassen is urging the NM Supreme Court to deny this emergency petition so that New Mexico may continue to follow the July 2025 directive of the Children, Youth, & Families Department (CYFD) to safeguard children born with drug exposure.
