The City of Amarillo may soon become the latest “Sanctuary City for the Unborn” in Texas — continuing the momentum anti-abortion activists seem to have in the state.
Amarillo’s Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance Initiating Committee turned in 10,322 signatures to the city secretary on Thursday, reported The Texan. The group claimed it verified that at least 7,417 of the signatures were from registered voters in the city. The total surpasses the 5% population threshold needed for the ordinance to be voted on for adoption by the city council.
Mark Dickson, founder of the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn initiative, told The Dallas Express that 52 cities and six counties in Texas have adopted such an ordinance. A total of 77 political subdivisions have passed these ordinances nationwide.
The activists behind the Amarillo initiative believe that life begins at conception and define abortion as “a murderous act of violence that purposefully and knowingly terminates an unborn human life.”
“We declare that abortion at all times and at all stages of pregnancy is an unlawful act, unless the abortion is performed to save the life of the pregnant woman in a medical emergency,” the proposed ordinance reads.
The document classifies abortion pills as “contraband” and says that it is “unlawful for any person to manufacture, possess, or distribute” them. It also calls on U.S. attorneys in Texas to “investigate and prosecute abortion providers and abortion-pill distribution networks.”
Abortion is banned in Texas except in cases where the life of the prospective mother is in danger. However, a series of “shield laws” passed in Democrat-led states have allowed abortion pill providers to mail the drugs into Texas, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
If enacted, the Amarillo ordinance would ban “abortion trafficking,” stating, “[I]t shall be unlawful 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.”
“The ordinances, like the ones prohibiting abortion trafficking that have been passed in Texas, help advance the pro-life movement by cutting off abortion access to places like Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Pueblo, Colorado, and Wichita, Kansas — outlawing abortion within their city limits,” Dickson told The Dallas Express. “This helps Texas continue to lead and help pave the way for an abortion-free America.”
Supporters of abortion have attempted to circumvent Texas laws by providing money for travel to women seeking the procedure.
One such group, Fund Texas Choice, has sued to continue facilitating abortions, scoring victories in federal courts earlier this year.
“This win is not just for Fund Texas Choice or the other plaintiffs, but rather, for thousands of Texans who may now be able to access the abortions they deserve and need,” the group said in a press release. “That is why … we are still fighting to ensure that access to travel and funding are available for abortion seekers across the entire state.”
“In this hostile landscape, practical support and abortion funds have been eager to provide crucial support to their communities by helping pay for abortions, transportation, lodging, childcare, and more. No one should be prevented from accessing abortion care because of where they live or how much money they have, and this preliminary injunction reinstates our capacity to legally support abortion seekers when they are traveling out of state,” the group said.