Louisiana abortion facilities are fighting to continue killing unborn babies during the coronavirus pandemic.
New Orleans Public Radio reports the Hope Medical Group abortion facility in Shreveport filed a lawsuit this week to prevent the state from stopping abortions as part of a larger effort to restrict unnecessary medical procedures during the health crisis.
The abortion facility, represented by the Center for Reproductive Rights, argued that abortions are essential and time sensitive – though many OB-GYNs and medical organizations say otherwise. Their lawsuit names the Louisiana Department of Health and Attorney General Jeff Landry.
Landry’s office inspected abortion facilities last week after receiving complaints that they were continuing abortions in violation of a state health mandate restricting elective medical procedures. His office has asked the health department to enforce the emergency health restrictions at the abortion facilities.
Earlier, Landry said the abortion facilities are “putting their profits over the health and safety of the public” and “dangerously putting countless people at further risk.” He said entities that refuse to follow the order also are keeping much-needed medical supplies from medical professionals who are working to save lives.
The Shreveport abortion facility especially has been busy aborting unborn babies, according to local pro-life advocates’ accounts. It is near the Texas border, and women have been traveling there since a federal appeals court allowed Texas to restrict abortions. This week, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals weakened the restriction, allowing drug-induced abortions to begin again in Texas but continuing the ban on surgical abortions. Louisiana also is under the jurisdiction of the Fifth Circuit.
Kathaleen Pittman, clinic administrator for the Shreveport abortion facility, said an increasing number of women are calling them from out of state for abortions, according to KTAL News. She claimed her abortion facility is in “full compliance” with the state mandate.
“There are women in Louisiana who need an abortion today—they cannot wait. But our hands are now being tied by the state,” Pittman said. “Most of our patients are already mothers, so they are dealing with all this on top of caring for kids while schools are closed, and many are struggling financially.”
But abortion facilities are not helping women financially or providing support for them and their children. They are taking struggling women’s money, aborting their unborn babies and then turning them back out into the world to deal with their problems on their own. Meanwhile, pro-life organizations are stepping up to provide financial and material assistance to mothers and children during the crisis.
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Option Line reported a huge increase in calls recently on its 24-hour pregnancy help hotline. Run by Heartbeat International, the hotline connects mothers to local support services, including pregnancy resource centers that provide free diapers, pregnancy tests, clothes, counseling and other resources. Embrace Grace, another pro-life outreach, is helping to organize online baby registries, virtual meetings, and other efforts to support pregnant and parenting moms. And Abby Johnson recently shared that her new ministry, Love Line, which provides financial and material support to help moms choose life for their babies, recently heard from a Texas mom who decided to keep her baby because of Gov. Greg Abbott’s order.
A number of states have tried to restrict abortions along with other non-essential medical procedures during the health crisis, but all are facing legal challenges from the abortion industry.
Although the situation is fluid, here are the latest reports from LifeNews.com on the status of abortion and orders to stop non-essential medical services:
States Attempting to Protect Babies From Abortion
Texas: Abortion centers are temporarily closed after Governor Greg Abbott’s order. But Texas abortion businesses have sued the state to reopen. Planned Parenthood has filed a lawsuit as well to do abortions and ignore the order. A federal judge blocked the order and allowed abortion centers to keep killing babies but a federal appeals court reinstated the order. Now Planned Parenthood is asking the Supreme Court to allow killing babies in non-essential abortions. The 5th Circuit then ruled that surgical abortions, but not the abortion pill, can be banned.
Maryland: Abortion centers are included in the abortion order to stop non-essential procedures but they have been caught violating the order.
Louisiana: Abortion centers are included in the order to close and all three closed initially but at least one abortion center has been caught doing abortions.
Ohio: Abortion centers are included in the order to close but they are refusing to close. The health department is now investigating those violations. Meanwhile, a judge has blocked the state’s order banning abortions.
Mississippi: Abortion centers are included in the order and the state’s sole abortion business has closed.
Oklahoma: Oklahoma Gov Orders Abortion Businesses to Close, Killing Babies is Not “Essential” Medical Care. The Planned Parenthood abortion business has sued to keep doing abortions and a federal appeals court allowed abortions to continue.
Kentucky: Attorney General Asks Health Department to Shut Down Abortion Clinics to Combat Coronavirus
Indiana: Governor Bans Killing Babies in Abortions to Save Medical Resources to Fight Coronavirus. At least one abortion business is refusing to comply.
Alabama: Alabama stopped abortions under its non-essential order until April 13th but a judge ruled the state can’t infringe on the so-called “right” to abortion. The judge also ruled that killing babies is somehow “essential” if abortion centers think so.
West Virginia: Gov Bans Killing Babies in Abortions to Save Medical Resources to Fight Coronavirus.
States Not Protecting Babies From Abortion
Kansas: Abortions are allowed in Kansas but a county in Wichita voted to close the late-term abortion clinic there.
New York: New York has issued an order to stop non-essential health services but is not applying it to abortion centers. New York Attorney General: Coronavirus Crisis is No Reason to Stop Killing Babies in Abortions. NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio has threatened to permanently close churches while letting abortion centers stay open.
Minnesota: Minnesota Issues Shelter at Home Order But People Can Still Go Kill Their Babies in Abortions
New Mexico: New Mexico Shuts Down Non-Essential Health Care, But Allows Abortion Clinics to Keep Killing Babies
New Jersey: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
Michigan: Governor Whitmer has stopped non-essential medical surgeries but allowed abortion clinics to keep killing babies. Leading pro-life groups have heavily criticized her.
North Carolina: Pro-life groups have called on the governor to stop abortions during the coronavirus crisis.
Washington: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
California: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded. But 11 Planned Parenthood abortion centers have voluntarily closed.
Pennsylvania: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded. Pro-life groups have criticized Governor Tom Wolf for letting abortions continue.
Maine: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico Shuts Down Pregnancy Center Over Coronavirus, Lets Abortion Clinics Stay Open
Massachusetts: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
International
Canada has banned every other non-essential medical procedure except abortion.
