Tenth Texas county outlaws abortion and use of roads for ‘abortion trafficking’

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

On the morning of Tuesday, September 30, the Commissioners’ Court of Hopkins County, Texas, passed an ordinance outlawing abortion and abortion trafficking within the unincorporated area of Hopkins County.

After a presentation by Right to Life Across Texas, the measure, introduced by Judge Robert Newsom, was approved in a unanimous 4-0 vote by County Commissioners Wesley Miller, Greg Anglin, Travis Thompson, and Joe Price. The passage made Hopkins County (pop. 38,784) the tenth county in Texas to outlaw abortion trafficking — following Mitchell (pop. 9,070), Goliad (pop. 7,012), Cochran (pop. 2,547), Lubbock (pop. 317,561), Dawson (pop. 12,130), Jack (pop. 8,875), Shackelford (pop. 3,105), Camp (pop.13,164), and Shelby (pop. 24,179) counties — and the 95th political subdivision to outlaw abortion in the United States. 

Protecting Pregnant Mothers and Unborn Children

Northeast Texas Heart of Hope Pregnancy Resource Center Co-Director Pat Phillips, who was present for the vote, shared:

"Northeast Texas Heart of Hope is overjoyed that this morning, the commissioner’s court unanimously passed the ordinance prohibiting abortions in Hopkins County, making Hopkins County a Sanctuary County for the Unborn. Thank you Judge Newsom for placing this measure to further protect pregnant mothers and their unborn children on the agenda and thank you County Commissioners for voting for life!"    

The effort to see political subdivisions throughout Texas outlaw abortion trafficking through the Sanctuaries for the Unborn initiative is supported by lawmakers across Texas. In a letter written to cities and counties across Texas, a letter signed by Senator Bryan Hughes and 19 other legislators reads:

“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. 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. 

While we intend to do our part to keep our strong pro-life protections for mothers and their unborn children, we believe it will help for cities and counties to do their part as well. As state elected officials who are trusted by Pro-Life Texans to stand for life at every available opportunity, we believe this is a viable and crucial opportunity for local governments to protect their most vulnerable members. We look forward to partnering with you as we seek to defend innocent human life at every level of government. Therefore, we, the undersigned, respectfully encourage local government officials to do their part in the passage of ordinances outlawing abortion and abortion trafficking and declaring their cities and counties Sanctuaries for the Unborn.”

The Ordinance

The Hopkins County Sanctuary County for the Unborn Ordinance prohibits elective abortions and the aiding or abetting of elective abortions within the unincorporated area of Hopkins County, as well as the performing of an elective abortion and the aiding or abetting of an elective abortion on a resident of the unincorporated area of Hopkins County, “regardless of the location of the abortion, regardless of the law in the jurisdiction where the abortion occurred, and regardless of whether the person knew or should have known that the abortion was performed or induced on a resident of the unincorporated area of Hopkins County.”   

As a result of the ordinance, it is now illegal “for any person to knowingly transport any individual for the purpose of providing or obtaining an elective abortion, regardless of where the elective abortion will occur” as long as such activity “begins, ends, or passes through the unincorporated area of Hopkins County.”

This means it is now illegal to use the sections of Interstate 30, U.S. Highway 67, State Highway 11, State Highway 19, State Highway 154, and all sections of all other roads found in the unincorporated area of Hopkins County for the purpose of abortion trafficking. The ordinance is part of a cultural shift that looks at abortion trafficking the same way as drug trafficking or sex trafficking, and is intentionally written to facilitate the end of abortion throughout the United States.

The ordinance also prohibits abortion-inducing drugs within the unincorporated area of Hopkins County, prohibits Texas waste management companies from transporting and disposing of aborted fetal remains from any out-of-state abortion provider within the unincorporated area of Hopkins County, and prohibits criminal abortion organizations from operating within the unincorporated area of Hopkins County.

Like the Texas Heartbeat Act, the county ordinance is only enforced through a private enforcement mechanism, allowing lawsuits to be filed by citizens against anyone who violates the ordinance. The ordinance does not allow any lawsuit to be filed against the mother of the unborn child, but only against the abortionist and those who are assisting the abortionist in the killing of her unborn child. 

In addition to having strong protections for pregnant mothers and their unborn children, the Hopkins County Sanctuary County for the Unborn ordinance also educates about different resources for women who find themselves in unexpected pregnancies throughout Hopkins County, including: Northeast Texas Heart of Hope Pregnancy Resource Center in Sulphur Springs and the statewide Thriving Texas Families Program which directs people to the Texas Pregnancy Care Network website and The Pregnancy Network website. 

Those who wish to see their county or city go as far as they can to protect pregnant mothers and their unborn children from the tragedy of abortion are encouraged to sign the online petition on the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn website.