SAN ANTONIO – Two groups with opposing views weighed in with their thoughts after a judge halted the new abortion law in Texas.
The judge stopped enforcement of the law, which does not allow abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.
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“We’re deeply saddened by the actions of that judge. He is blocking a law which is protecting unborn babies from abortion,” said Joe Pojman, executive director of Texas Alliance for Life, an anti-abortion organization.
“We are grateful that the court has finally stepped in to curb some of the harm Texans have faced,” Amy Miller, founder and CEO of Whole Woman’s Health.
Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, released this statement:
“For more than a month now, Texans have been deprived of abortion access because of an unconstitutional law that never should have gone into effect. The relief granted by the court today is overdue, and we are grateful that the Department of Justice moved quickly to seek it. While this fight is far from over, we are hopeful that the court’s order blocking S.B. 8 will allow Texas abortion providers to resume services as soon as possible. Planned Parenthood providers across the country have reported serving Texas patients, who are heartbroken and furious that they’ve needed to leave home for essential health care — often at great expense. Planned Parenthood will continue fighting this ban in court, until we are certain that Texans’ ability to access abortion is protected.”
Amy Hagstrom Miller, the founder of Whole Woman’s Health, which operates four clinics in North, Central and South Texas, explained their plans now that the law has been put on hold.
“We have reopened our schedule to expand beyond that six-week limit in our Texas clinics already. In fact, last night we reached out to some of the patients that we had on a waiting list,” Hagstrom Miller said.
She said since Sept. 1, when the law went into effect, they have turned away hundreds of people.
“We believe it is the responsibility of the government to protect everyone, including the most vulnerable, tiny Texan, the unborn child,” Pojman said.
Pojman said some organizations help women with unplanned pregnancies.
“They will provide a wide range of services from simple things like maternity clothes, baby clothes, diapers, but much more like job skills, helping a woman get out of an abusive situation or even sex trafficking,” Pojman said.
“The state of Texas, unsurprisingly, already put in a notice that they plan to appeal to the 5th Circuit, but no matter what happens in the 5th, for now, this is the justice we have been seeking for weeks,” Hagstrom Miller said.