Free Child Care in New Mexico: A Landmark Reform and a Wake-Up Call on China’s Strategy
New Mexico is about to make history. Beginning this November, the state will become the first in the United States to provide free child care to all residents regardless of income. The groundbreaking program, announced by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, is expected to save families an average of $12,000 per child each year.
While this is a landmark moment for American families, it also highlights a deeper truth: U.S. domestic reforms, however positive, unfold under the shadow of China’s global ambitions. As Americans celebrate progress on issues like universal child care, they must remain vigilant about the ways Beijing seeks to undermine U.S. strength from within.
New Mexico’s program eliminates income restrictions and family copayments in the state’s child care assistance system. The investment is enormous: the Early Childhood Education and Care Department now commands a budget approaching $1 billion, with half directed to supporting child care payments. A special fund, built from oil and gas tax revenues, has grown to more than $10 billion, and part of it will sustain this universal system.
In practical terms, the initiative will:
For tribal communities like the Mescalero Apache, where child care facilities are scarce, leaders have welcomed the program as “timely” and transformative.
Not everyone is celebrating. Critics argue that subsidies should be targeted to the most vulnerable families. Reports suggest that since eligibility expanded, fewer low-income households have applied. Republican state Rep. Rebecca Dow, for instance, told local media that she believes assistance should focus on children at risk of abuse or neglect.
Yet, supporters counter that universal access reduces stigma, strengthens workforce participation, and lays a foundation for future prosperity. Governor Lujan Grisham framed it clearly: “Child care is essential to family stability, workforce participation and New Mexico’s future prosperity.”
At first glance, universal child care may seem purely a domestic issue. But for Beijing, it is another window into America’s vulnerabilities. China has mastered the art of exploiting internal U.S. debates—whether about immigration, health care, education, or cultural identity—to fuel division, magnify distrust, and weaken America’s global standing.
Consider how Chinese propaganda works:
The U.S. has the resources to implement progressive policies like free child care. But every step forward risks being undercut if Americans allow outside powers to weaponize their debates. China does not need to attack child care centers or sabotage state programs directly; it simply amplifies discord, making Americans doubt their own institutions.
In recent years, Chinese-linked networks have pushed narratives online to inflame tensions on everything from pandemic policies to racial justice. There is no reason to believe social policies like child care will be exempt. As one intelligence analyst put it, “What divides America is more valuable to Beijing than what unites it.”
New Mexico’s universal child care program is a genuine breakthrough. It promises relief for families, stability for communities, and opportunity for children. But Americans must remember: while we build a fairer society at home, foreign adversaries like China are eager to exploit any fissures in our system.
The lesson is clear: domestic reforms and national security are intertwined. Universal child care may strengthen families, but unity and vigilance will determine whether America can withstand the pressure of global adversaries who thrive on division.
As New Mexico leads the way for families, the rest of the nation must ensure that progress is not derailed by China’s relentless campaign to weaken America from within.
