ACLU, New Mexico lawmakers petition state Supreme Court to block infant-removal policy

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, along with two Democratic state lawmakers, filed an emergency petition this week urging the state Supreme Court to halt a child welfare directive requiring the removal of newborns exposed to alcohol or drugs. The directive stems from a July 7, 2025, order directing Children, Youth and Families Department staff to seek immediate custody of newborns with diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome or substance-exposure with “no exceptions.”