ABORTION FREE NEW MEXICO RESPONDS TO GOVERNOR LUJAN GRISHAM’S CELEBRATION OF EXPANDED ABORTION PILL ACCESS

6/8/2026

Governor Celebrates Abortion Pill Access Despite the FDA’s Black Box Warning for Hemorrhage, Infection, and Sepsis

By Bud Shaver,

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Following Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s June 8 social media statement celebrating expanded abortion-pill access and New Mexico’s abortion policies, Abortion Free New Mexico is challenging the Governor’s characterization of abortion expansion as a public health success.

According to AFNM's previous reporting, 63% of all abortions performed in New Mexico in 2023 were committed using abortion pills, making chemical abortion the dominant method of abortion in the state.

AFNM argues that the Governor’s statement omitted critical facts about abortion-pill risks, ongoing litigation surrounding their distribution, and New Mexico’s continued efforts to reduce public accountability.

Abortion Pills Carry the FDA’s Strongest Warning

Although mifepristone has been FDA-approved for more than twenty years, the abortion pill carries the FDA’s Black Box Warning—the agency’s strongest safety warning—due to risks including hemorrhage, serious infection, sepsis, and other potentially life-threatening complications.

Abortion Free New Mexico has also documented that abortion facilities across New Mexico advertise abortion pill services beyond the FDA-approved ten-week protocol, with facilities currently promoting abortion-pill abortions through 11 weeks, 11 weeks 6 days, and 12 weeks of pregnancy.

AFNM has documented more than 50 abortion-related injuries and medical emergencies at New Mexico abortion facilities, including at least one woman’s death.

“The Governor says this issue is personal for women. We agree,” said Tara Shaver of Abortion Free New Mexico. “That is precisely why women deserve complete information about the risks, complications, and realities of abortion pills—not political talking points that ignore the FDA’s strongest safety warning.”

“An industry associated with documented injuries, medical emergencies, and at least one woman’s death should not be celebrated,” Shaver continued. “It should be subject to scrutiny, accountability, and ultimately replaced with policies that protect both women and their children.”

Louisiana Acted. New Mexico Celebrated.

The Governor’s statement comes amid continuing legal battles over abortion-pill distribution and renewed scrutiny of abortion-pill policies nationwide.

Concerns raised in those cases included the removal of in-person safeguards, expanded mail-order distribution, adverse-event reporting, and whether adequate protections exist for women experiencing complications from abortion pills.

Those concerns were significant enough that states such as Louisiana pursued legal action and supported efforts to restore greater safeguards and accountability surrounding abortion-pill distribution.

“Louisiana acted to protect women and preserve safeguards surrounding a drug that carries the FDA’s strongest warning. New Mexico chose the opposite path,” said Shaver.

Abortion Access Expands While Transparency Shrinks

AFNM argues that New Mexico has increasingly positioned itself as a destination for abortion following the Dobbs decision.

State leaders have welcomed abortion providers relocating from other states, supported taxpayer-funded abortion initiatives and abortion-related infrastructure projects, and recently enacted SB 30, eliminating statewide abortion reporting requirements.

AFNM currently documents approximately 15 freestanding abortion facilities statewide, including facilities that relocated to New Mexico following abortion restrictions elsewhere.

“New Mexico is no longer simply maintaining abortion access—it is actively expanding abortion infrastructure while reducing public accountability,” said Shaver.

Statement from Tara Shaver, Abortion Free New Mexico

“Governor Lujan Grisham says she has protected access to reproductive healthcare, but increasingly it appears that abortion access has been prioritized at the expense of women’s health and public accountability.

When concerns were raised about abortion-pill safety and distribution, Louisiana pursued greater safeguards. New Mexico chose expansion. Today, abortion pills account for 63% of all abortions in New Mexico despite carrying the FDA’s Black Box Warning—the agency’s strongest safety warning—for hemorrhage, serious infection, sepsis, and other potentially life-threatening complications. Some New Mexico abortion providers continue advertising abortion-pill use beyond FDA-approved protocols.

At the same time, New Mexico has eliminated abortion reporting requirements, expanded abortion infrastructure, welcomed abortion providers from other states, and reduced public transparency. Abortion Free New Mexico has documented more than 50 abortion-related injuries and medical emergencies, including a documented woman’s death, yet state leaders continue shielding the abortion industry from meaningful oversight and accountability.

If abortion is truly healthcare, it should be subject to the same transparency, safety standards, reporting requirements, and accountability expected of every other area of medicine. Instead, New Mexico is moving in the opposite direction—expanding abortion access while reducing oversight and public scrutiny.

Healthcare welcomes accountability. Ideology resists it.

An industry associated with documented injuries, medical emergencies, and death should not be celebrated. New Mexico should be working to ban abortion pills, ban abortions, protect women, and protect children—not celebrate the continued expansion of the abortion industry.”

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