Texas lawmakers plan to study the possibility of annexing a chunk of its western neighbor.
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows this month directed a state legislative committee to explore the legal and economic implications of adding one or more New Mexico counties to the Lone Star State.
Online, the plan was quickly dubbed “New MeX-it.”
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham dismissed the idea, which she called a “ridiculous proposal.” “We have every intention of keeping the great state of New Mexico fully intact,” the Democratic governor told the Albuquerque Journal.
New Mexico House Speaker Javier Martinez, also a Democrat, was a bit more blunt. “Over my dead body,” he said in a video posted to Facebook.
Political Points
Burrows, a Lubbock Republican, said in a statement to The Dallas Morning News this “conversation is ultimately about culture, opportunity, and the right to choose a path that reflects the shared values of the Permian and Delaware basins.” The Legislature will meet in 2027.
“Southeast New Mexico deserves a real voice in its own future, not one dictated by Santa Fe,” Burrows said. “It’s a conservative, energy-rich region with a fierce independent streak, and West Texas has shown what’s possible when you respect oil and gas, protect property rights and trust local communities.”
New Mexico residents along the border have long pointed out their political disconnect with the state’s Democratic-led capital, Santa Fe. In January, New Mexico Republicans Randall Pettigrew and Jimmy Mason introduced a measure that would allow voters to decide to secede from the state.
Pettigrew told the Albuquerque Journal earlier this year he was motivated by tensions between the oil-rich conservative southeastern counties and the state’s leadership. In February, Burrows signaled support for that bill, writing on X, “Texas would gladly welcome Lea County back to Texas, where it rightfully belongs.”
The New Mexico bill died without getting a hearing.
Texas and New Mexico have a long history together. When Texas seceded from Mexico in the 1830s and briefly became a country, it claimed a large swath of what is now New Mexico. It gave up claims to the disputed land in 1850.
In his order, Burrows asked the legislative committee to complete a detailed analysis of the state and federal statutes needed to initiate the annexation process.
The border is not likely to change anytime soon, as it would require Congressional approval, but it is likely to appeal to some pro-seccessionists in Texas.
Former Roswell Mayor and state Rep. Dennis Kintigh told the Santa Fe New Mexican that he supports the idea, but is not optimistic it will happen.
“I think secession is a fantasy,” he said, “a fun fantasy.”