Three Texas cities become 88th, 89th, and 90th 'Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn' in US

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

This week, three Texas cities and one Texas county have become "Sanctuaries for the Unborn."

On Tuesday, December 9, two Texas cities passed ordinances outlawing abortion and abortion trafficking within their jurisdictions — Sudan and Amherst. Then, on Thursday, December 11, the Texas city of Springlake passed such an ordinance. The three cities follow Motley County, Roaring Springs, and Olton – all of which voted unanimously to adopt the ordinances on Monday.

Unanimous Votes:

Sudan

The city council of Sudan, Texas (pop. 958), passed an “Ordinance Outlawing Abortion, declaring Sudan a Sanctuary City for the Unborn” in a unanimous 5-0 vote. The vote made the City of Sudan, located between Muleshoe (pop. 5,158) and Amherst (pop. 671), the 71st city in the State of Texas and the 88th city in the nation to pass an ordinance banning abortion.

Amherst

Also on December 9, the city commission of Amherst, Texas (pop. 671), about nine miles from Sudan, passed an “Ordinance Outlawing Abortion, declaring Amherst a Sanctuary City for the Unborn” in a unanimous 2-0 vote. The vote made the City of Amherst, located between Sudan (pop. 958) and Littlefield (pop. 5,871), the 72nd city in the State of Texas and the 89th city in the nation to pass an ordinance banning abortion.

Springlake

On December 11, the city council of Springlake, Texas (pop. 145), about 24 miles from Sudan, passed an “Ordinance Outlawing Abortion, declaring Springlake a Sanctuary City for the Unborn” in a unanimous 3-0 vote. The vote made Springlake, located between Earth (pop. 1,085) and Olton (pop. 2,288), the 73rd city in the State of Texas and the 90th city in the nation to pass an ordinance banning abortion.

The cities are the second, third, and fourth cities in Lamb County to pass Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn ordinances. The City of Olton (pop. 2,288) was the first city in Lamb County. Other cities in Lamb County that could pass the measure include Littlefield (pop. 5,871) and Earth (pop. 1,065). Lamb County (pop. 13,045) could also pass a ‘Sanctuary County for the Unborn’ ordinance covering the unincorporated area of Lamb County.

The Ordinances:

The Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinances passed in Sudan, Amherst, and Springlake prohibit: 

(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 Sudan, Amherst, and Springlake Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinances are 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 Ordinances also educate 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. 

Since the beginning of this year, 27 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), Annona (pop. 288), Moran (pop. 285), Douglassville (pop. 229), Roaring Springs (pop. 219), Mullin (pop. 196), Springlake (pop. 145), and Marietta (pop. 115).

The measures, 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 violence of abortion are encouraged to sign the online petition.