‘Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance’ dies for lack of a motion in De Kalb, Texas

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

On Tuesday, the City Council of De Kalb, Texas (pop. 1,769) rejected the opportunity to pass a Sanctuary City for the Unborn that would have further protected pregnant mothers and their unborn children from the violence of abortion.

Key Takeaways:

• The city council of De Kalb, Texas, failed to make a motion to approve a pro-life sanctuary for the unborn ordinance on October 14, including council members who claim to be pro-life.

• Several community leaders and citizens have expressed their outrage at the city council's lack of motion.

The Details:

De Kalb Mayor Lowell Walker expressed to De Kalb Chamber of Commerce member Jim O’Bier that he was for the measure, but preferred for the ordinance to be on the agenda when he was out of town. In Mayor Walker’s absence, Mayor Pro-Tem David Meadows presided over the meeting with council members Brenda Smith, Tom Ward, Molly Blackmon, and Bobbie McGee in attendance. 

After five people spoke in favor and one person spoke against the pro-life ordinance, a presentation was made by Right to Life Across Texas. While Mayor Pro-Tem David Meadows asked if the city council had any questions, his fellow council members appeared to be satisfied with their level of education about the proposed measure.

After asking twice if any one of his fellow council members wanted to make a motion to approve the pro-life ordinance and receiving nothing but silence, Mayor Pro-Tem Meadows stated, “It appears that this ordinance has not been approved for passage due to lack of a motion.” If the city council would have passed the measure, it would have made the City of De Kalb the 84th city in the nation and the 67th city in Texas to pass a “Sanctuary City for the Unborn” ordinance. 

After the city council meeting was adjourned, Mayor Pro-Tem David Meadows said he both accepted and was disappointed with the council’s decision. Councilwoman Brenda Smith claimed she was “pro-life,” but said she believed Texas already had the issue covered and claimed that women had already died due to Texas’ pro-life laws.

When Councilman Tom Ward was asked if he was pro-choice, Ward stopped and paused for a moment, then shared, “I am pro-getting along with everybody.”

The Ordinance:

The ordinance would have:

1. prohibited performing elective abortions and the aiding or abetting elective abortions within the City of De Kalb, extending the private enforcement mechanism of the Texas Heartbeat Act from detectable heartbeat to the point of conception within the City of De Kalb

2. prohibited elective abortions on residents of the City of De Kalb – regardless of where the abortion took place

3. prohibited abortion traffickers from trafficking women, including minors, through the City of De Kalb for abortions across state lines

4. prohibited abortion-inducing drugs from being mailed into the City of De Kalb, allowing for private lawsuits against abortion pill distributors

5. prohibited criminal abortion organizations from doing business inside the City of De Kalb

6. prohibited the transport and disposal of the remains of unborn children killed by an elective abortion by abortion providers outside of the State of Texas from being transported through or disposed of within the City of De Kalb. 

The measure would have been enforced, not by law enforcement, but by giving private citizens the ability to file a lawsuit against any individual or organization in violation of the ordinance. 

Commentary:

The measure has had wide support across Texas and has been supported by several legislators throughout East Texas, including De Kalb’s Senator, Bryan Hughes. A letter given to the City of De Kalb signed by Senator Hughes stated:

“While it is true that abortion is outlawed in the entire State of Texas, from the point of conception, our work is far from over. Right now, throughout the State of Texas, women are being trafficked across our borders by abortion traffickers funded by abortion trafficking organizations still operating in our state. As a result, these women are being abused and traumatized by abortion across our Texas–New Mexico border and sent back to Texas for our cities and counties to deal with the aftermath taking place in our homes, our schools, our churches, and our hospitals.

The Sanctuary for the Unborn ordinances seek to protect these institutions by putting safeguards in place to protect men, women, and their children for years to come. These ordinances, which seek to close as many loopholes as possible, do not penalize women who seek or undergo abortions, but places the penalty on the party who most deserves it – the abortionist and the industry profiting from the unjust procedure, including abortion traffickers.” 

The rejection of the measure led to an uproar from people of all ages throughout the conservative community and beyond. 

Kaydance Taylor, a resident of De Kalb and recent De Kalb High School graduate, shared:

“If a woman does not want to have kids, then she should think about that before she lays down. If she does get pregnant, the answer should never be abortion. I have seen a lot of people on Tik Tok that have gotten abortions and they regret it. It caused them heartache and a lot of mental anguish. The real option is not abortion, but adoption.” 

Taylor continued, agreeing with Senator Hughes and adding that "more... can be done to protect women and their unborn babies. I think it is terrible that there are people who are targeting women in our communities and attempting to get women to make a decision that they will regret for the rest of their lives.... These groups advocating for abortion and convincing women that getting an abortion across state lines is the solution [are] just plain wrong..” 

Taylor added that the ordinance would "send a loud message... to abortion trafficking organizations" urging them to stay out of the community. "I really hope that the city council will rethink this issue," she said.

De Kalb resident Marjorie Roberts shared:

... If our council claims Christian values, then silence on moral issues — especially those involving life and dignity — is not neutrality. It’s abdication. The failure to bring forward a motion regarding abortion access, including the abortion pill or potential clinics, is not just a political omission. It’s a spiritual one.... De Kalb deserves more than quiet compromise — it deserves moral stewardship."

De Kalb resident Christina Crouch shared her outrage at the city council's refusal to move on the ordinance:

“... I do NOT think our council represents the majority of its citizens. . . apparently only one member has our same values. I am shocked and appalled that our remaining members sat SILENT. You could hear a pin drop in the room. De Kalb, it's time to stand up and be the voice for our most vulnerable people....” 

De Kalb Chamber of Commerce Board member Jim O'Bier shared:

“It is very disheartening to have watched the Mayor Pro-Tem call for a motion in favor of becoming a Sanctuary City for the Unborn, and not one council member had enough compassion for an unborn child and their mother to make a motion to protect them.

We need help from local government communities to hold the abortion-pill distributors responsible for sending abortion pills across state lines and waste management companies that transport aborted fetal remains into our state making Texas a dumping ground. As a Christian, I find this appalling.”

Bowie County Republican Party Chair Gary Singleton, who attended the council meeting, was shocked at the outcome of the council’s lack of action. “Instead of standing with Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Legislature, who have sought to protect the rights of unborn children, the De Kalb City Council rejected the opportunity that their sister cities in Bowie County were glad to embrace,” he said. 

Samantha Knox, the co-founder of Turning Point USA’s Texarkana Faith Hub, shared, “I don’t know who Tom Ward is in Dekalb but ‘pro-getting along with everyone’ is a spineless excuse. Sad day in Dekalb, Texas!” 

The Bottom Line:

While the ordinance died for a lack of a motion on Tuesday, the effort to see De Kalb become a Sanctuary City for the Unborn is anything but dead in “The Friendly City.”

From De Kalb, Texas, to De Kalb, Illinois, to De Kalb County, Virginia, citizens who want to see their communities stand for life are encouraged to sign the online petition on the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn website.