City of Muleshoe in Texas becomes 97th US ‘Sanctuary City for the Unborn’

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

On Monday, May 11, the City Council of Muleshoe, Texas (pop. 5,158), passed an ordinance outlawing abortion and abortion trafficking, declaring the City of Muleshoe a Sanctuary City for the Unborn (SCFTU). The 4-1 vote in favor of the measure made Muleshoe the 97th city in the nation and the 80th city in Texas to pass an ordinance outlawing abortion.

Bringing the Ordinance to Muleshoe

SCFTU Ambassador Rebecca Snow met with Councilman Jackson Myers about the effort in November 2025 while visiting the Muleshoe Livestock Auction. Councilman Myers expressed support for the effort, but recommended reaching out to Mayor Colt Ellis. At the time, Mayor Ellis was out of town, and Snow attempted to connect with the mayor about the initiative after Thanksgiving 2025, but was unsuccessful. Weekly, Snow and her husband Jim traveled to Muleshoe for church services and other errands. On their trips, the problem of abortion trafficking through the city became an ongoing discussion with many throughout the community.

In December 2025 alone, five cities in West Texas unanimously passed SCFTU Ordinances: Roaring Springs (pop. 219), Olton (pop. 2,288), Sudan (pop. 958), Amherst (pop. 671), and Springlake (pop. 145). While more cities followed in the new year, the effort in Muleshoe had fallen by the wayside amid the busy holiday season.

After Brownfield citizens saw their city council vote 5-3 against the SCFTU Ordinance in April, a citizen initiative petition process began in the City of Brownfield. Weighing the possibility that Brownfield could be on the November ballot, discussions began in other cities near the Texas-New Mexico border where SCFTU ordinances had been discussed but never passed.

Several residents in Muleshoe were confident that, if enough signatures were collected, their council would recognize the citizenry’s support and adopt the measure. If the ordinance were not to pass by a majority vote of their city council, then surely the ordinance would be adopted by Muleshoe’s electorate at the November election.

A citizen initiative petition was soon begun, and signatures began to be collected across Muleshoe: door-to-door, at the Senior Center and at churches and businesses. 

Seeing Brownfield citizens' success in collecting enough signatures for their citizen initiative only helped further encourage Muleshoe citizens to complete their initiative. The Muleshoe SCFTU Citizen Initiative Petition was turned in to City Secretary Tamara Cain on Monday, April 27, and the initiative was deemed successful on Friday, May 1.

Of the 238 signatures collected, 164 were qualified, surpassing the required number for a successful citizen initiative petition. When Muleshoe residents heard the Brownfield City Council adopted the SCFTU Ordinance on May 7, many were optimistic their council would feel empowered to adopt the measure as well – especially with over 150 citizens of Muleshoe supporting them.

At the Muleshoe City Council meeting on May 11, several in attendance spoke to the proposed ordinance. Among those was longtime Muleshoe resident Heather Garcia, who shared:

I stand before you, not just as a former citizen of Muleshoe, but as a mother with a story that could have ended very differently. When I was 20 years old, I was a college cheerleader with big dreams and my whole future planned out—or so I thought. Then I found out I was pregnant, unmarried, scared, and completely overwhelmed. I felt shame, fear, and uncertainty. I didn’t know what to do.

I remember my cheerleading coach pulling me aside and offering to take me somewhere to “take care of it.” At that moment, abortion was presented to me as the easy solution—the way to erase the problem and move on with my life. But deep down, I knew this wasn’t just a problem. This was a child. My child. I chose life.

And that baby—who some thought should never have had a chance—grew up to become the 2015 valedictorian of Muleshoe High School. He served on the Youth Advisory Council for this very City Council. He went to school with some of you, and with some of your children. He is living proof that an unplanned life is not an unwanted life, and that every child has purpose. 

In 2020, after having a hysterectomy, my doctor told me something I will never forget—medically, I should have never been able to have children at all. He said my son was an absolute miracle from God. At 20 years old, scared and uncertain, I could not have known that this was my fate—that this child would be my only chance to experience the joy of motherhood.

Had I made a different choice, I would have been robbed of ever knowing the greatest blessing of my life. I often think about how close I came to missing that miracle. That is why I am asking you tonight to make Muleshoe a sanctuary city for the unborn…

Muleshoe should not become a pathway for the trafficking of women and children across state lines into New Mexico for abortions. We should be making it harder, not easier, for lives to be discarded and for women in crisis to be told the only answer is to end the life within them…

New Mexico resident Tara Shaver, with Abortion Free New Mexico, also spoke before the Muleshoe City Council. Shaver shared:

Over the last several years, New Mexico has become one of the most extreme abortion destinations in America. Since Roe was overturned, our state has seen a massive influx of women traveling from Texas for abortions — particularly late-term abortions. In Albuquerque alone, abortion facilities themselves have reported that 85%, 90%, and even 95% of their abortion clients are Texas residents…

That reality is exactly why we put up the pro-life billboard here in Muleshoe on Hwy 84, a route that many Texas women travel to obtain abortions in New Mexico. The billboard is not about attacking women. It is about reminding Texans that their laws exist for a reason — to protect both women and their unborn children… The billboard is meant to encourage moms not to leave those protections behind by crossing into New Mexico, where abortion  businesses are aggressively marketing themselves as an easy answer…

That is why the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn ordinances matter. These ordinances send a message that communities do not have to surrender to the abortion industry. 

Of the six individuals who spoke before the Muleshoe City Council, all spoke in favor of passing the ordinance. 

To the surprise of some, Mayor Ellis appeared frustrated that the ordinance came before them via a citizen initiative petition rather than being placed on the city council agenda. Mayor Ellis affirmed that he was pro-life and in favor of the ordinance, but did not like the manner in which it was brought before them. Mayor Pro-Tem Gary Parker and Councilman Myers agreed. Councilwoman Crystal Alarcron shared that she was pro-life, but was not sure where she stood on the ordinance.

After discussion, Mayor Ellis made a motion to adopt the SCFTU Ordinance. The motion was seconded by Mayor Pro-Tem Parker. Upon a vote of the full council, Mayor Ellis and Mayor Pro-Tem Parker were joined by Councilman Myers and newly elected Councilwoman Zanea Carpenter in voting in favor of the ordinance, while Councilwoman Alarcron voted against the ordinance.

After the measure was adopted, 4-1, applause erupted in the council chambers. Muleshoe was now a Sanctuary City for the Unborn.

The Muleshoe Ordinance

The Muleshoe SCFTU Ordinance prohibits:

(1) performing an elective abortion and aiding or abetting elective abortions within the city limits,

(2) elective abortions on residents – regardless of where the abortion takes place,

(3) abortion trafficking through the city,

(4) the mailing of abortion-inducing drugs into the city,

(5) criminal organizations from doing business inside the city limits, 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.

The ordinance is not enforced by the City of Muleshoe, their elected officials, or by any of their employees. Instead of being enforced criminally, the law is enforced civilly by private citizens. This is the same way the Texas Heartbeat Act is enforced, through a private enforcement mechanism allowing private citizens to file a lawsuit against anyone in violation of the law. 

The Muleshoe SCFTU Ordinance is the 13th ordinance to pass in 2026 and is identical in substance to all 12 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. 

Those interested in seeing their city or county join the initiative are encouraged to sign the online petition on the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn website.