‘Native children belong in Native communities’: tribes decry New Mexico drug-exposed newborn rule
Groups say new directive fails to respect Native sovereignty amid complicated history of Indigenous child removals One 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 add
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Demonstrators outside of the supreme court in Washington in 2022 as the court hears arguments over the Indian Child Welfare Act. Photograph: Mariam Zuhaib/APView image in fullscreenDemonstrators outside of the supreme court in Washington in 2022 as the court hears arguments over the Indian Child Welfare Act. Photograph: Mariam Zuhaib/APNew Mexico‘Native children belong in Native communities’: tribes decry New Mexico drug-exposed newborn ruleGroups say new directive fails to respect Native sovereignty amid complicated history of Indigenous child removalsCecilia NowellSun 21 Jun 2026 11.00 EDTLast modified on Sun 21 Jun 2026 11.01 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleOne morning early last July, Micha Bitsinnie arrived at work to an onslaught of messages from confused families.New Mexico’s…
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