Texas city of Tira becomes 91st 'Sanctuary City for the Unborn' in US

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

On Sunday, December 14, another Texas city passed an ordinance further outlawing abortion and abortion trafficking within their jurisdiction.

The city council of Tira, Texas (pop. 319), passed an “Ordinance Outlawing Abortion, declaring Tira a Sanctuary City for the Unborn” in a unanimous 4-0 vote. The vote made the City of Tira, located between Sulphur Springs (pop. 16,564) and Cooper (pop. 2,025), the 74th city in the State of Texas and the 91st city in the nation to pass an ordinance banning abortion. The vote is the seventh unanimous victory in a seven-day period, following: Motley County, Roaring Springs, Olton, Sudan, Amherst, and Springlake.  

Mayor Allen Joslin and his wife, Councilwoman Tami Joslin, shared:

“We believe this to be the most important item that has come across our forum to vote on, which truly empowers the residents of the Tira community in the battle to protect the unborn. We gladly put our name to this ordinance and encourage other cities and communities to do the same.”

Tira is the second city in Hopkins County to pass a Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinance. In August, the City of Como (pop. 702) became the first city in the county to pass such a measure. In September, Hopkins County (pop. 38,784) passed a ‘Sanctuary County for the Unborn’ ordinance covering the unincorporated area of the county. Other cities in Hopkins County that could pass the measure include: Sulphur Springs (pop. 16,564) and Cumby (pop. 806). 

Tira is also the 24th city in the Tyler-Longview Area Region to pass such a measure. Other cities in the region to have passed such ordinances include Athens (pop. 13,503), Lindale (pop. 6,923), Rusk (5,664), Gilmer (pop. 5,216), New Boston (pop. 4,686), Hooks (pop. 2,769), Waskom (pop. 2,190), Naples (pop. 1,378), Big Sandy (pop. 1,343), Brownsboro (pop. 1,036), Omaha (pop. 1,021), East Mountain (pop. 899), Wells (pop. 853), Como (pop. 752), Murchison (pop. 606), Talco (pop. 492), Avery (pop. 462), Avinger (pop. 444), Gary (pop. 335), Poynor (pop. 314), Annona (pop. 288), Douglassville (pop. 228), and Marietta (pop. 115). The only city in the region, and the entire state, to have recanted their ordinance is the City of Omaha – which recanted after receiving an open records request from the ACLU of Texas in 2019.

The Ordinances:

The Tira Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance prohibits: 

(1) performing an elective abortion and aiding or abetting elective abortions within the city limits, 

(2) elective abortions on residents of the city – regardless of where the abortion takes place, 

(3) abortion trafficking through the city, 

(4) the mailing of abortion-inducing drugs into the city,

(5) criminal organizations from doing business inside the city limits, 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 limits.

Private Enforcement:

The Tira 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 Tira Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance also educates about a multitude of different pregnancy resources, including: 

• Northeast Texas Heart of Hope in Sulphur Springs and the services they provide for women who find themselves in an unexpected pregnancy

• The Thriving Texas Families Program and the services provided by the state-funded program through pregnancy care providers partnered with the Texas Pregnancy Care Network and The Pregnancy Network

Since the beginning of this year, 28 political subdivisions have passed ordinances outlawing abortion and abortion trafficking, including: Hopkins County (pop. 38,784), Howard County (pop. 34,860), Shelby County (pop. 24,192), Camp County (pop. 13,094), Wolfforth (pop. 9,600), New Boston (pop. 4,686), Clyde (pop. 4,051), Shackelford County (pop. 3,105), Hooks (pop. 2,769), Olton, (pop. 2,228), Dickens County (pop. 1,725), Big Sandy (pop. 1,343), Motley County (pop. 1,063), Sudan (pop. 958), Como (pop. 758), Amherst (pop. 671), Talco (pop. 492), Avery (pop. 462), Avinger (pop. 371), Lueders (pop. 346), Tira (pop. 319) Annona (pop. 288), Moran (pop. 285), Douglassville (pop. 229), Roaring Springs (pop. 219), Mullin (pop. 196), Springlake (pop. 145), and Marietta (pop. 115).

The measure, supported by Senators and Representatives across Texas and New Mexico, will be considered by more cities and counties in Texas in the coming days and weeks.

Citizens who wish to see their city or county pass an ordinance to further protect pregnant mothers and their unborn children from the tragedy and violence and aftermath of abortion are encouraged to sign the online petition.