A woman from Houston is in legal trouble for allegedly performing illegal abortions. This comes from a statement by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Paxton stressed, "In Texas, life is sacred." He emphasized the state’s commitment to protecting the unborn and enforcing its abortion laws. He vowed to prosecute anyone who puts women’s lives at risk by conducting unlicensed abortions. This case marks the first criminal charges under Texas’s strict 2022 abortion law, which bans nearly all abortions.
Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, has been charged with performing illegal abortions and practicing medicine without a license, both under the Texas Human Life Protection Act. She turned herself in to the Waller County Sheriff’s Office on March 6 and was released the next day.
The allegations against Rojas claim she ran several clinics that employed unlicensed individuals. Her work included providing care to a predominantly Spanish-speaking and low-income community. Holly Shearman, the clinical director of Tomball Birth Center, where Rojas worked part-time, expressed disbelief about the charges, stating that Rojas is a skilled midwife who has never discussed anything concerning illegal practices.
Texas’s 2022 abortion law, which has no exceptions for rape or incest, does allow abortions only when the pregnant person’s life is in danger. Penalties for violating this law can reach up to $100,000, along with the potential loss of medical licenses and imprisonment.
Before these restrictions, in 2020, Texas had over 53,000 recorded abortions. However, that number dropped significantly after the law changes were implemented. In 2022, there were only about 17,000 abortions, most of which occurred before the landmark Roe v. Wade was overturned in June of that year.
Social media has shown an outpouring of opinions on this issue. Many users are speaking out passionately, either supporting the strict laws or condemning the lack of access to safe abortion services. The sharp decline in abortion numbers in Texas highlights a growing divide on the topic, and public debate continues to intensify.
For a closer look at the implications of these legal actions and the ongoing conversation regarding abortion rights in Texas, visit authoritative sources such as The Texas Tribune and CNN.
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