Levelland, Texas, is to become the latest municipality to join the ranks of a growing group of US cities declaring themselves "sanctuary cities" for the unborn by outlawing abortion within their jurisdictions.
After the hearing in the packed city hall, councilmen voted unanimously in favour of the ordinance which states: “It shall be unlawful for any person to procure or perform an abortion of any type and at any stage of pregnancy in the City of Levelland, Texas. It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly aid or abet an abortion that occurs in the City of Levelland, Texas.”
The City of Lubbock, also in Texas, shows how this ordinance works in practice. The public enforcement of the law (such as fines) would have to wait until Roe v. Wade is overturned. The private enforcement, however, currently allows relatives of an aborted child to sue abortion providers for compensation and damages.
Yet Planned Parenthood announced on Monday that it was filing a lawsuit against the city with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), primarily because it is the only “sanctuary city” to have an abortion clinic within its boundaries.
Andre Segura, legal director of ACLU, explained: “We’re suing to protect the constitutional rights of Texans and to ensure that every single person has access to all healthcare options - regardless of where they live.”
The City of Lubbock, meanwhile, remains steadfast: “The City will vigorously defend this ordinance and looks forward to presenting [a] defence in court.”
A recent poll, this year in Texas, found that 40% of voters label themselves as “pro-life” and 41% as “pro-choice” (i.e. pro-abortion).
The Levelland ordinance will have its second reading on Monday 7 June. If it is successful, it will become the 29th city in the United States to have outlawed abortion.
SPUC Comment
A SPUC spokesperson said: “It is encouraging to see the progress that the pro-life movement is making in Texas.
“Cities such as Lubbock have become safer places for unborn children as a result of these ordinances outlawing the barbaric practice of abortion.
“And we must remember that Planned Parenthood’s primary concern has never been ‘women’s rights’, only profit.
“Lubbock is a target for them as the babies that are killed there are an important contribution to their bumper 2019-20 profits of $2billion.”
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