WASHINGTON – Today the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) – the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization – celebrated a new marriage equality case filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Center for Lesbian Rights in New Mexico court.

An affirmative ruling would make the state the first in the American southwest to embrace marriage equality and the tenth state overall to extend this fundamental right to all committed and loving couples.

“The fact is that there is no law on the books in New Mexico that says gay and lesbian couples shouldn’t have the same rights as everyone else, and even if there were, denying them equal marriage is fundamentally unjust,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Regardless of where you live, all people should have the ability to marry the person they love, and I hope the courts in New Mexico act quickly to bring marriage equality to the fair-minded Land of Enchantment.”

The filing of the case comes days after the mayor of Santa Fe urged New Mexico county clerks to issue marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples due to the absence any restrictive state law.

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.