2 months ago
The speaker of Texas’s location of representatives says he is entertaining nan thought of expanding nan authorities by annexing immoderate New Mexico counties.
Dustin Burrows, who has been nan chamber’s speaker since 2025, ordered a authorities legislative committee connected 26 March to look into nan ineligible and economical options to adhd “one aliases much contiguous counties” of New Mexico to nan authorities of Texas.
The agency of New Mexico politician Michelle Lujan Grisham and immoderate of her chap authorities Democratic politicians summarily dismissed nan idea, pinch Lujan Grisham’s agency saying it is “not a superior proposal”.
Burrows group disconnected nan contention by issuing an bid to found a caller committee to study whether counties successful nan south-eastern portion of New Mexico could beryllium annexed.
For years, south-eastern New Mexico counties person pointed to governmental differences betwixt themselves and nan state’s capital, Democratic-led Santa Fe.
In January, representatives from 1 of those counties, Lea county, introduced a legislative amendment that would let voters to determine to secede from nan state. Lea region has claimed that taste and governmental differences pinch Santa Fe make it much apt to subordinate Texas.
When that amendment was introduced, Burrows publically supported its idea, posting connected societal media that “Texas would gladly invited Lea region backmost to Texas, wherever it rightfully belongs”.
In nan 1830s, erstwhile Texas seceded from Mexico and concisely became an independent country, it besides took overmuch of what is modern-day New Mexico nether its dominion.
The pro-secession amendment projected successful New Mexico has since been “postponed indefinitely”.
Burrows’ proposal from 26 March formed a legislative committee tasked pinch studying “the constitutional, statutory, fiscal, and economical implications of adding to Texas 1 aliases much contiguous counties of New Mexico”.
Javier Martínez, New Mexico’s Democratic location of representatives speaker, was among politicians successful his authorities to knock Burrows’ proposal, which called to mind nan rhetoric Donald Trump has pushed passim his 2nd presidency of annexing Greenland for nan US.
“I propose that Speaker Burrows get offline, touch immoderate grass, and get his ain location successful order,” Martinez said. “I americium definite Texans would overmuch alternatively spot their elected leaders travel up pinch existent solutions to nan soaring healthcare, grocery, and power prices brought connected by nan reckless actions of … Trump and his Republican friends successful Washington DC. We’re good.”
In different connection published by nan news position KOAT successful Albuquerque, a gubernatorial spokesperson besides dismissed Burrows’ push.
“We person each volition of keeping nan awesome authorities of New Mexico afloat intact,” said Michael Coleman, nan communications head for Lujan Grisham. “This is not a superior proposal, but Texas tin study it each they want.”
