The United States Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, ending an almost 50-year period during which abortion was considered a constitutional right. States now have the authority to allow, limit, or ban the procedure.
A Texas “trigger law” over abortion will go into effect in 30 days, making abortions illegal in the state except when it is required to save the life of the mother or if the pregnancy causes a risk of serious injury. The law makes no exceptions for rape or incest.
The Dallas Express sought comment from Texas’ leaders, public officials, and advocates regarding the Supreme Court decision.
Attorney General Ken Paxton said, “Roe v. Wade and its successor case Planned Parenthood v. Casey have absolutely no basis in the U.S. Constitution. Nevertheless, for half a century, Americans have had to live under these illegitimate, illegal, and unconstitutional dictates of a partisan, willful Supreme Court. No more. Today, the question of abortion returns to the states. And in Texas, that question has already been answered: abortion is illegal here. I look forward to defending the pro-life laws of Texas and the lives of all unborn children moving forward.”
Paxton also said he would be closing his offices every June 24 to memorialize “babies killed in the womb since 1973.”
Dallas County Young Democrats President Cora Black said in a statement: “Republicans stole the Supreme Court and, Today, the 6-3 right-wing Court has begun stealing our rights. Justice Thomas is not hiding the ball — next on the chopping block is access to contraception, same-sex relationships, and marriage equality. Our political system is broken and those that broke it are becoming even more aggressive in their efforts to subvert public will.”
The statement continued, “Today, our hearts break for the women in Texas whose rights have been stripped away and who now face incredible obstacles and the specter of $10,000 bounties. Tomorrow, we get back to work organizing for the November midterms like our lives and freedoms depend on it … because they do.”
Texans For Life Coalition released a statement entitled, “The Pro-Life Movement is Just Getting Started.”
It read, in part: “After nearly 50 years of working and praying to overturn Roe v. Wade, Texans for Life is immensely grateful to the originalists on the United States Supreme Court for undoing this grave injustice. We continue to pray for their safety. As we celebrate this momentous victory for life, Texans for Life has a message for the nation: the pro-life movement is not going home — we are just getting started.”
President Kyleen Wright said, “Today we pause to celebrate this great victory and thank our God. Tomorrow, we press on toward our goal of making abortion unthinkable and ensuring that every mother and baby has everything necessary to be all they were created to be. This will be the church’s finest hour.”
Nicolas Quintanilla, president of Young Latino Democrats of Dallas, commented to The Dallas Express, “The Decision today is quite disappointing, it puts in danger a lot of women, especially poor women, we must not allow the attacks on women to continue, it’s time we fight back stronger than ever.”
Respect Life Ministry of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas said the organization “applauds Today’s decision … that upheld the constitutionality of a pre-viability abortion ban. Today’s decision overturns the 1973 ruling on Roe vs Wade, which made abortion legal throughout the nation. Since then, states have passed laws anticipating the day when Roe would be reversed. Today is that day!”
Dallas County Tejano Democrats Secretary Patricia Munoz wrote to The Dallas Express, “This decision is devastating for all females. Hopefully, every ounce of energy is taken to the polls in all future elections. We cannot and should not go back in time. Many [men] are applauding this, the ones that may not want women to soar, to lead, to be equal. It’s very infuriating.”
Republican Party of Texas Chairman Matt Rinaldi said, “Today is a historic day which Republicans and Pro-Life advocates have waited for a generation. It will be remembered in history as the day the United States of America reversed one of the most unjust, damaging and plainly incorrect judicial decisions in its history. Thankfully, the left’s egregious attack on our government institutions failed, and justice was done. We also are grateful for the work of Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, Sen. Angela Paxton, and the Republican and Democrat legislators who passed the law which will now protect the lives of all unborn children in Texas.”
Candidate for Texas governor Beto O’Rourke tweeted, “We will overcome this decision in Texas by winning political power.”
He also posted a video with the message: “I will always fight for a woman’s freedom to make her own decisions about her own body, health care, and future.”
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said in a statement, “The Supreme Court’s decision in the Dobbs case, reversing Roe v. Wade, is nothing short of a massive victory for life, and it will save the lives of millions of innocent babies. The decision reverses one of the most egregious departures from the Constitution and legal precedent the United States has ever seen, and one that has resulted in the deaths of 63 million American children.”
Rep. Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) tweeted, “Reversing Roe v. Wade upends the decades of progress on women’s health. Texans must vote for new leaders who protect every person’s right to have autonomy over their own bodies and futures.”