City of Matador in Texas becomes 92nd ‘Sanctuary City for the Unborn’ in US

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this guest post are solely those of the author.

On Thursday, January 9, the city council of Matador, Texas (pop. 570), passed an “Ordinance Outlawing Abortion, declaring Matador a Sanctuary City for the Unborn” in a unanimous 4-0 vote. The vote made the City of Matador, located between Floydada (pop.3,038) and Paducah (pop.1,186) on U.S. Highway 62, the 75th city in the State of Texas and the 92nd city in the nation to pass an ordinance banning abortion. 

The City of Matador is the second and last remaining incorporated city left in Motley County to pass a Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinance. On December 8, Motley County became the 13th county in Texas and the 15th county in the nation to pass a “Sanctuary County for the Unborn” Ordinance. Motley County’s Judge and Commissioners passed their measure in a unanimous 5-0 vote. Later that day, the City of Roaring Springs (pop. 219) passed the measure in a unanimous 6-0 vote. 

The Ordinance:

The Matador Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance prohibits: (1) performing an elective abortion and aiding or abetting elective abortions within the city limits of Matador, (2) elective abortions on residents of Matador – regardless of where the abortion takes place, (3) abortion trafficking through the City of Matador, (4) the mailing of abortion-inducing drugs into the City of Matador, (5) criminal organizations from doing business inside the city limits of Matador, and (6) the transportation or disposal of the remains of unborn children who have been killed by an elective abortion across state lines and carried by waste management companies into Texas in and through the City of Matador. 

The Matador Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance is enforced the same way the Texas Heartbeat Act is enforced, through a private enforcement mechanism allowing private citizens to file civil lawsuits against anyone in violation of the law.

The Matador Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance also educates about the state-funded Thriving Texas Families Program and the services provided through pregnancy care providers partnered with the Texas Pregnancy Care Network and The Pregnancy Network. 

What You Can Do:

While the City of Matador is the first city in 2026 to pass a Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance, they are not expected to be the last city to pass the measure. Citizens who wish to see their city or county pass an ordinance to further protect pregnant mothers and their unborn children from the violence of abortion are encouraged to sign the online petition.