{"id":273367,"date":"2022-08-05T06:42:31","date_gmt":"2022-08-05T11:42:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=273367"},"modified":"2022-08-04T23:26:54","modified_gmt":"2022-08-05T04:26:54","slug":"cities-us-resolutions-deprioritize-prosecuring-illegal-abortions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/cities-us-resolutions-deprioritize-prosecuring-illegal-abortions\/","title":{"rendered":"Cities across the US pass resolutions to ‘deprioritize’ prosecuting illegal abortions"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Things got heated when pro-lifers in two Texas cities recently opposed an abortion resolution seeking to require police to “deprioritize” criminal abortion investigations. The resolution, sometimes referred to as the ‘Guarding the Right to Abortion Care for Everyone’ Act or ‘GRACE Act,’ has been proposed and even passed by city councils in multiple states in response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade<\/em> in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization<\/em> Supreme Court case.<\/p>\n

El Paso pro-lifers defeat abortion measure<\/strong><\/p>\n

On July 5, pro-life groups Abortion on Trial<\/a> and Southwest Coalition for Life<\/a> were able to mobilize enough opposition to result in the\u00a0defeat<\/a> of the GRACE Act\u00a0resolution<\/a>\u00a0in El Paso. Mike Seibel, Senior Counsel of Abortion on Trial, spoke to Live Action News about the victory, praising Mark Cavaliere of Southwest Coalition for Life who “did a great job in mobilizing over 600 letters and 60 people who testified” against the pro-abortion measure.<\/p>\n

“Over 100 people registered to speak on this item, which the mayor noted was the biggest attendance in recent memory, requiring the use of overflow areas of city hall,” the group’s email<\/a> read. “The ruling provoked<\/a> angry, loud, and vulgar outbursts from pro-abortion activists in the room \u2014\u00a0who had been literally poised and ready for their victory cheer, confidently\u00a0expecting a ruling in their favor\u00a0\u2014 prompting police to usher them outside. Once outside, they began an aggressive\u00a0protest, leading to police escorting pro-life attendees past the protest to their vehicles,” the email added.<\/p>\n

Seibel told Live Action News that they found out about the proposal three days prior to the hearing and quickly took action. “What we did is sent a letter<\/a> to the Council and Mayor putting them on notice of possible legal action under 42USF1983, ‘deprivation of civil rights’ under the law for possible failure to investigate abortion crimes,” Seibel said.<\/p>\n

Seibel’s testimony<\/a> before the Council focused on trafficking, illegal abortionists, and abortion pill crimes and their harm to women. Abortion on Trial regularly meets with women harmed by abortion. Seibel said it took five hours for the Council to hear all the comments.<\/p>\n