Teresa Leger Fernandez — Democrat Candidate for U.S. House in New Mexico, 2026

Teresa Leger Fernandez supports comprehensive immigration reform, including an earned path to citizenship through the U.S. Citizenship Act and protections for DACA recipients. She advocates for the Farm Workforce Modernization Act and for restoring Head Start services to immigrant children. Representative Leger Fernandez voted against Department of Homeland Security funding in 2026 due to concerns about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) abuses and a lack of accountability measures. She also supported robust funding to hire additional Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection officers.

““I will not support a blank check for agencies that violate people’s rights and claim absolute immunity,” Leger Fernández said. “The Department of Homeland Security bill did not include any of the amendments me and my Democratic colleagues pushed to hold ICE accountable for their abuses. Republicans refused to protect citizens from immigration arrests and detention, refused” (Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández, Congresswoman Leger Fernández Secures Major Wins for NM in Funding Bill, Votes Against ICE Funding, January 22, 2026).”

Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez supports lowering healthcare costs, evidenced by her vote against H.R. 6703 in 2025 and her role in passing the Inflation Reduction Act. She advocates for fully funding Medicare, Medicaid, and community health centers to ensure accessible, affordable care for all Americans. She has also co-sponsored legislation to address rural healthcare workforce shortages and opposed Republican amendments targeting transgender rights and parental healthcare decisions.

“We must also lower the cost of health care. I strongly support fully funding and strengthening Medicare, Medicaid, and our nation’s network of community health centers to make sure everyone can access care. I proudly voted for the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which President Biden signed into law on August 16, 2022. This landmark law lowers health care premiums and allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices and cap out-of-pocket costs at $2,000. As a breast cancer survivor, I know that all Americans have a right to quality, affordable health care in the communities they call home." - Teresa Leger Fernandez, fernandez.house.gov, undated.”

Teresa Leger Fernandez voted against the Homeowner Energy Freedom Act (H.R. 4758) and the Home Appliance Protection and Affordability Act (H.R. 4626), indicating support for energy conservation standards. She advocates for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in New Mexico's industries, including dairy farms and oil and gas. Leger Fernandez views addressing climate change as a job creator that benefits both the environment and the economy. She also opposes efforts to sell off millions of acres of public land.

““I am overjoyed about being part of this community that is giving 100%, being part of the thousands and thousands of activists and young people and wise indigenous leaders who are telling us that we must always give 100% in order to save this beautiful place we call home,” said Rep. Leger Fernández. “This model of creating jobs from cleaning up our environment applies across everything we do. Addressing climate change is a job creator: it’s good for our environment and it’s good for our economy.””

Teresa Leger Fernandez supports abortion rights and reproductive freedom, voting in favor of the Women’s Health Protection Act, the Right to Contraception Act, and the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act. She views the overturning of Roe v. Wade as stripping women's liberties. She is also endorsed by Reproductive Freedom for All.

“Today, the Supreme Court voted to strip away women’s liberties, end 50 years of abortion rights, and overturn Roe v. Wade. This is a historic and unprecedented dark moment in our history – it marks the first time a Supreme Court took away a… – Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández, Statement after Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, June 24, 2022.”

Teresa Leger Fernandez voted for the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022, providing $40 billion for Ukraine. She also supported the 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act, which authorizes seizing Russian assets, sanctions Iran, China, and Hamas, and includes defensive military aid to Israel. She emphasized that this package provides crucial humanitarian assistance to Gaza, stating that such funding was key to her vote. Her position aims to defend democracy against authoritarian regimes, such as Russia, Iran, and China.

“Today, after months of extreme-Republican delay that allowed Putin to turn the tide in the Ukraine war, delayed desperately needed humanitarian aid for starving civilians, and emboldened China to increase its foothold in the Indo-Pacific, I voted to support democracy and our allies alongside the vast majority of my colleagues in both parties,” said Congresswoman Leger Fernández. “In Gaza and across the globe, millions are on the brink of starvation. The humanitarian aid in this package is essential and needed now. This bipartisan bill provides much-needed humanitarian assistance to starving children in Gaza and around the world. As the death toll and looming famine continue to mount in Gaza, the U.S. desperately needs the ability to deploy humanitarian aid—something only Congress can grant. This funding was key in my vote in favor of the package. I am not willing to let families starve in Gaza or across the globe. The aid to Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific included in this bill is also especially important as we work to defeat the cruel regimes that seek to take the world backward. When authoritarians like Vladimir Putin, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Xi Jinping emerge, we must act united with our allies to push back against their aggression. We must combat their evil at every turn and protect the democracies that they seek to erase from the map. This bill also includes defensive military aid to Israel. We have learned in recent days that the United States and Israel’s defensive capabilities have been depleted by”

Teresa Leger Fernandez supports higher education accessibility for all students, proposing the America’s College Promise Act for tuition-free community college and investment in Hispanic Serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges. As a Member of the Education and Workforce Committee, she advocates for investing in teachers and school resources, introducing the Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act and cosponsoring the Advancing Toward Impact Aid Full Funding Act. She also launched the bipartisan Head Start to Congress Caucus to promote early childhood education.

“I also want to make sure higher education is available to all students. My America’s College Promise Act would support tuition-free community college and invest in Hispanic Serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges and Universities. Education sets the foundation for our children who will become the next generation of leaders. We must make sure they have all of the necessary tools to be successful. (Teresa Leger Fernandez, fernandez.house.gov/Issues/Issue/?IssueID=14894)”

Teresa Leger Fernandez supports gun safety laws and was endorsed by Giffords, an organization dedicated to reducing gun violence through policies like strong gun safety laws. She supported the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938), the Protecting Our Kids Act (H.R. 7910), and H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act. These legislative actions reflect her stance on gun policy.