City of Brownfield in Texas becomes 96th US ‘Sanctuary City for the Unborn’

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this guest post are solely those of the author.

On Thursday, May 7, the City Council of Brownfield, Texas (pop. 9,976), passed an ordinance outlawing abortion and abortion trafficking, declaring the City of Brownfield a Sanctuary City for the Unborn. The 5-3 vote in favor of the measure made Brownfield the 96th city in the nation and the 79th city in Texas to pass an ordinance outlawing abortion. Brownfield is the second city in Terry County to pass the measure, following the City of Wellman (pop. 205).

Revisiting the Ordinance

While the Brownfield City Council originally rejected the measure in a 5-3 vote at a council meeting on April 2, the citizens of Brownfield did not let that vote be the end of the story.

Brownfield resident Natalie Chandler formed an initiating committee of Brownfield residents and began the citizen initiative petition process, collecting signatures in accordance with the Brownfield City Charter. While doorknocking, Chandler and her allies educated the public about the need for the ordinance and who on the council had voted for and against the lifesaving measure. The petition was turned in, the citizen initiative petition process was deemed successful, and the Brownfield City Council was obligated by the Brownfield City Charter to reconsider the ordinance.

While the Brownfield City Council had only rejected the measure a little over a month ago, on April 2, Brownfield’s municipal election on May 2 brought changes to the Brownfield City Council. While Mayor Eric Horton – who was one of the three who voted in favor of the ordinance – was re-elected, District 2 Councilwoman Vanessa Valdonado – who was one of the five who voted against the ordinance – was voted out of office and replaced with Elvis Rodriguez.

At the public hearing concerning the measure, citizens of Brownfield and other interested parties had the opportunity to speak for or against the Brownfield Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinance, which had been brought forth through the citizen initiative petition process. Of the four individuals who spoke before the Brownfield City Council, all spoke in favor of passing the ordinance. Not a single person who spoke before the Brownfield City Council spoke against the passage of the ordinance.

The most hostile voice in the room against the ordinance was District 4 Councilman Marshall Martell, who pushed back against all four speakers.

The Vote

After much discussion and debate, the Brownfield City Council was ready to make a decision.

While At Large Councilman Tom Hesse tried to make a motion to send the ordinance to the ballot for voters to decide, the motion was determined to be inconsistent with the Brownfield City Charter.

District 5 Councilman Ray McFarland then made a motion to adopt the Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance. The motion was seconded by District 3 Councilman Lee Gamez. Upon a vote of the full council, Councilmembers McFarland and Gamez were joined by Mayor Eric Horton, District 1 Councilman Paul Vasquez, Jr., and newly elected District 2 Councilman Elvis Rodriguez in voting in favor of the pro-life measure, while At Large Councilman and Mayor Pro-Tem J.C. Tijerina, District 4 Councilman Marshall Martell, and At Large Councilman Tom Hesse voted against the pro-life measure. Due to the votes of newly elected Councilman Elvis Rodriguez and Councilman Paul Vazquez, Jr. (whose mind was changed during the meeting), April 2nd’s 5-3 vote against the ordinance was now a 5-3 vote in favor of the ordinance. Upon the announcement of the vote, applause echoed throughout the council chambers.

After much work, Brownfield was now a Sanctuary City for the Unborn. 

The Ordinance

The Brownfield Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance prohibits: (1) performing an elective abortion and aiding or abetting elective abortions within the city limits of Brownfield, (2) elective abortions on residents of Brownfield – regardless of where the abortion takes place, (3) abortion trafficking through the City of Brownfield, (4) the mailing of abortion-inducing drugs into Brownfield, (5) criminal organizations from doing business inside the city limits of Brownfield, and (6) the transportation or disposal of the remains of unborn children who have been killed by an elective abortion across state lines and carried by waste management companies into Texas in and through the City of Brownfield.

Upon hearing of the victory, Shannon Thomason – who helped lead the charge in passing a similar measure in the City of Big Spring during his term as mayor - shared:

“As someone who grew up in Terry County, this one is personal for me. Brownfield has always been a community with strong convictions, deep faith, and people willing to stand up for what they believe is right. Today’s vote reflects that spirit... History is written one community at a time. Today, Brownfield added its name to that history.”

Becoming a Sanctuary City for the Unborn

Since August 2023, 46 political subdivisions have passed ordinances identical in substance to the proposed Brownfield Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance. The Brownfield Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance is the eleventh ordinance to pass in 2026 and is identical in substance to all 10 of the other ordinances passed by Texas cities and counties in 2026 and all 29 of the ordinances passed by Texas cities and counties in 2025.

Citizens wishing to see their city or county pass an ordinance outlawing abortion and declaring their city or county a Sanctuary for the Unborn are encouraged to sign the online petition on the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn website.