New Mexico Investigates Native American Sterilizations

United States===New Mexico legislators have approved a measure to investigate the historical forced and coerced sterilizations of Native American women by the United States===Indian Health Service and other providers in the 1970s. This initiative aims to examine the scope and lasting harm of these practices, with findings expected by the end of 2027. The federal government has not formally acknowledged these systemic sterilizations, despite a 1976 United States===United States Government Accountability Office report confirming some instances. Survivors like Jean Whitehorse have shared their experiences, advocating for formal apologies and accountability from the United States. This investigation follows similar actions in United States===California and United States===Vermont, which have begun addressing their own histories of forced sterilization.