City of Wolfforth in Texas becomes 85th ‘Sanctuary City for the Unborn’ in US

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

On Monday, November 17, the city council of Wolfforth, Texas (pop. 9,600), passed an “Ordinance Outlawing Abortion, declaring Wolfforth a Sanctuary City for the Unborn” as part of their consent agenda in a unanimous 5-0 vote. The vote made the City of Wolfforth, located between Ropesville (pop. 434) and Lubbock (pop. 272,086), the 68th city in the State of Texas and the 85th city in the nation to pass an ordinance banning abortion.

Wolfforth is the fifth city in Lubbock County to pass a Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinance, joining the cities of: Lubbock, Abernathy (pop. 2,839), Slaton (pop. 6,235), and Shallowater (pop. 2,940). Lubbock County (pop. 327,394) has also passed a ‘Sanctuary County for the Unborn’ ordinance covering the unincorporated area of the county. Other cities in Lubbock County that could pass a ‘Sanctuary City for the Unborn’ ordinance include the cities of Idalou (pop. 2,342), Ransom Canyon (pop. 1,200), New Deal (pop. 794), and Buffalo Springs (pop. 495).

According to the City of Wolfforth's website, the rapidly growing city has a "projected growth rate of 8-11% over the next few years, a claim that can only be equaled by cities in the I-35 corridor."

The Ordinance:

The Wolfforth Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance prohibits: (1) performing an elective abortion and aiding or abetting elective abortions within the city limits of Wolfforth, (2) elective abortions on residents of Wolfforth – regardless of where the abortion takes place, (3) abortion trafficking through the City of Wolfforth, (4) the mailing of abortion-inducing drugs into the Wolfforth, (5) criminal organizations from doing business inside the city limits of Wolfforth, 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 Wolfforth.

The Wolfforth 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 Wolfforth 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. 

State Support:

In August 2023, Senator Charles Perry (SD-28), House Speaker Dustin Burrows (HD-83) and 18 other Texas Senators and Representatives penned a letter in support of cities and counties passing ordinances outlawing abortion across the State of Texas. The letter read: 

“Currently there are over 50 political subdivisions in Texas which have passed local ordinances prohibiting abortion within their jurisdictions. As elected officials who voted for state legislation allowing these local actions, we are thrilled to see this wave of pro-life action at the local level and hope to see these ordinances continue to spread across our state – even in a post-Roe Texas. 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 letter continued:

“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.”

Ordinances Passed:

Since the beginning of this year, 20 political subdivisions have passed ordinances outlawing abortion and abortion trafficking, including: Hopkins County (pop. 38,784), 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), Dickens County (pop. 1,725), Big Sandy (pop. 1,343), Como (pop. 758), Talco (pop. 492), Avery (pop. 462), Avinger (pop. 371), Lueders (pop. 346), Annona (pop. 288), Moran (pop. 285), Douglassville (pop. 229), Mullin (pop. 196), and Marietta (pop. 115). 

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.