A new directive from New Mexico's governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has sparked controversy among Native American groups, who claim it disregards the sovereignty of Indigenous communities. The directive, which mandates the state's child welfare department to seek custody of newborns exposed to drugs and alcohol in utero, has left many families, including those in recovery from addiction, uncertain about their circumstances. The directive's broad language has raised questions about the definition of "drug exposure," with healthcare providers unsure whether certain medications, such as those used in addiction recovery, will flag their cases. As the state grapples with the complicated history of Indigenous child removals, critics argue that this directive will disproportionately affect Native American families, exacerbating existing systemic inequalities.
Groups say new directive fails to respect Native sovereignty amid complicated history of Indigenous child removalsOne morning early last July, Micha Bitsinnie arrived at work to an onslaught of messages from confused families.New Mexico’s governor Michelle Lujan Grisham had just issued a directive mandating the state’s child welfare department seek custody of all newborns who had been exposed to drugs and alcohol in utero. Some parents wondered whether medications that they were taking for addiction recovery, such as methadone, would flag their cases. Healthcare providers wondered whether the fentanyl in an epidural counted as a drug exposure. Continue reading...
