A federal appeals court has halted a lower court ruling that the State of Texas has to provide a taxpayer funded abortion to a 17 year old illegal immigrant being housed in a South Texas detention center, pending a hearing by the full court today, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
The woman, who has been called in court papers 'Jane Doe' allegedly got pregnant when she was sexually assaulted by immigrant smugglers. It is estimated that more than half of women who put their lives in the hands of smugglers, who are frequently associated with Mexican drug cartels, are raped on the journey to the U.S.
"It is blatantly unconstitutional to hold Jane Doe hostage, and prevent her from accessing a legal procedure like an abortion," said Bridget Amiri of the American Civil Liberties Union, who is representing the Central American teenager in court.
But Mark Rylander, a spokesman for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, says the ruling threatens to turn Texas into an 'abortion sanctuary state.'
"This ruling, if it stands, would effectively create a right to a taxpayer funded abortion for anybody who enters the United States illegally," Rylander said.
The stay is to allow the Trump Administration to argue why the abortion should be denied.
"The Supreme Court has made it absolutely clear that the government cannot block an abortion for anyone," Amiri said.