The United States Justice Department has sued the state of Texas over the state’s new controversial abortion law. The lawsuit comes after the law was passed on Sept. 1 and bans all abortions after six weeks, which is far before most people know that they are pregnant.
The Justice Department hopes to go through the Texas Federal Supreme Court. While this might happen, it is more likely that the U.S Supreme Court would have the final say on the issue.
With a 6-3 conservative majority in the U.S Supreme Court, it is more likely than not that the blocking of enforcement on this law will not happen.
In an official statement on Sept. 6, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the following, “While the Justice Department urgently explores all options to challenge Texas SB8 in order to protect the constitutional rights of women and other persons, including access to an abortion, we will continue to protect those seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services pursuant to our criminal and civil enforcement of the FACE Act, 18 U.S.C. § 248…The department will provide support from federal law enforcement when an abortion clinic or reproductive health center is under attack. 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.”
Of course, there are many who believe that this is a waste of time. According to a written statement, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who signed the bill into law, is confident that the Texas Justice System will prevail.
The Attorney General of Texas, Ken Paxton, took the liberty of tweeting how the administration “should focus on fixing the border crisis, Afghanistan, the economy and countless other disasters instead of meddling in state’s sovereign rights.”
Banning abortion is not just a states’ rights issue. When there is an almost complete ban on all abortions in the second largest state in the country, it becomes a nationwide problem.
When women are fleeing a state just to get a safe abortion, there is an extremely large problem that needs to be addressed. The U.S Justice Department has done just that. There should be more news following this decision in the upcoming weeks.
