To address issues related to health, education, gaming, economic, opportunity, environmental protection, and tribal sovereignty in New Mexico, young people living in Indigenous communities who are directly impacted by these issues need to be at the forefront and part of the conversation.
Boosting New Mexico’s healthcare fund is essential to keeping coverage affordable and helping families rise out of poverty. At the end of 2025, Congress failed to extend the enhanced premium tax credits that had helped millions of Americans afford health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Their expiration threatened steep premium increases for tens of thousands of New Mexicans who rely on the ACA marketplace for coverage.
The possibility of encountering immigration officials can have a chilling effect on immigrant and mixed-status families, leading many families to avoid public spaces and services, miss critical pediatric appointments or delay or forgo necessary treatment as they fear the presence of immigration officers at or near health care facilities.
The reach and impact of the many investments New Mexico’s leaders have made to support immigrant communities, families and children are threatened by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) final “public charge” regulation, which went into effect Friday, Sept. 18.
The U.S. Census Bureau released new 2025 data from the Current Population Survey on September 15, which includes a comparison of the most recent Official Poverty Measure (OPM) and the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM). The data primarily represent national poverty levels, but state-level data for 2023-2025 are also released in supplemental tables.
As New Mexico prepares for the roll out of federally-required Medicaid work reporting requirements, another significant change is looming that stands to decimate the funding system that prevents primary care providers, hospitals, and other providers from closing their doors and worsening access to care for our families.
New Mexico lawmakers should have enough revenue to build upon their recent work supporting families and children. At the August 26 meeting of the Legislative Finance Committee, the Consensus Revenue Estimating Group (CREG) released their first estimate of how much money the state should expect to be available for the upcoming 2027-28 fiscal year (FY 28).
Health care is more than a budget item. It is the foundation that allows children, families, and communities to thrive. Yet for far too many New Mexicans, getting the care they need remains out of reach because of rising costs, provider shortages, and harmful federal policy decisions. While New Mexico has made meaningful progress in strengthening its health care system, the work is far from over.
In recent weeks, the Court issued three major immigration-related decisions. One reaffirmed a fundamental constitutional principle: children born in the United States are U.S. citizens, regardless of their parents' immigration status. But the other two decisions make it harder for immigrant families to find safety and security, putting thousands of lives and futures at risk.
There have been growing calls to legalize online sports betting in New Mexico. Today, sports wagering is limited to tribal casinos, but some lawmakers and industry advocates argue that expanding it online would generate new tax revenue and help diversify the state’s economy. New Mexico should reject online sports betting. Expanding and increasing access to online betting would prioritize short-term revenue over the long-term well-being of New Mexico families and communities.