The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has vowed to “protect” women who are seeking abortions in Texas, saying it is exploring “all options” to challenge Texas’ new abortion law the Supreme Court refused to block.
DOJ promises to protect women and clinics against Texas’new abortion law
Days after the Supreme Court refused to block a new Texas abortion statute that bans the procedure as early as six weeks into pregnancy while providing no exceptions for rape or incest, the Department of Justice (DOJ) vowed to take action.
The action by the Supreme Court is potentially the most severe threat to Roe v. Wade since its passage in 1973 establishing the right to abortion.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said via a press release on Monday that the DOJ is exploring “all options” to challenge the new Texas law, the Washington Post reported.
Garland promises to support abortion clinics “under attack” in Texas and protect both those providing reproductive health services and those seeking an abortion.
About the Texas abortion law
Texas’s new abortion law is a so-called “heartbeat bill” that places an effective ban on abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, typically occurring about six weeks into pregnancy.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) signed the bill into law last Wednesday.
Additionally, last Wednesday, in a vote of 5-4, the Supreme Court refused to block Texas’ new abortion law from going into effect.
The court effectively granted permission by refusing to act on an emergency petition from Texas abortion clinics, Politico reported.
The new law makes Texas the first state to ban abortion once a heartbeat is detected, Breitbart reported.
DOJ warns activists of violating the FACE Act
ACCORDING TO REPORTS BY THE HILL, the FACE Act prohibits the use or threat of force and physical obstruction that injures or interferes with a person who is seeking to obtain or provide reproductive services. The FACE Act was signed into law in 1994 and prohibited damage to a health facility that provides reproductive health services.
“The department will provide support from federal law enforcement when an abortion clinic or reproductive health center is under attack,” Garland said in the statement. “We have reached out to U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI field offices in Texas and across the country to discuss our enforcement authorities.”
“We will not tolerate violence against those seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services, physical obstruction, or property damage in violation of the FACE Act,” Garland’s statement continued.
