A Texas Midwife Was Arrested for Providing Abortions: Here Is Everything You Need to Know

On March 17, Texas was arrested to provide illegal abortion, and it may have been just a matter of time. State The prohibition of semi -berries was embarked on September 2021Nearly a year ago Ro against a valley He was It was officially vetoed by the Supreme Court In June 2022. This is not the first time that Texas has followed, among other states, a legal action linked to abortion, but this is the first time that the state has already been arrested and was criminal to be firmly provided within the state.

What happened?

per Houston Cronicand Both Texas Maria Margareta Rojas and her employee Jose Lee were accused of the criminal performance of abortion and the practice of medicine without a license. Rojas, who was known as “Dr. Maria”, operated a small network of clinics in Harris Province, Texas. according to Public Prosecutor’s statement, Ken Pakston, journalist“I illegally worked on unlicensed individuals who have falsely presented themselves as licensed medical professionals.” She is a guardian of miscarriages on two people.

Rojas clinics provided health care for low -income communities in the first place.

Will the midwife face prison?

The criminal performance of miscarriage is a second degree felony in Texas, and a sentence of up to 20 years is brought in prison. Rojas and LeY are held on bail of $ 500,000 for abortion fee, and $ 200,000 for a medical license fee.

Have patients were accused of anything?

The law does not allow people who seek abortion to prosecute criminal.

What is the previous one? Are there other arrests related to miscarriage?

This is the first time (we know) that the state of Texas indicates criminal charges against the abortion provider since its prohibition in 2021. But it is not the first time that the state has taken legal measures against service providers. In December 2024, Paxton filed a lawsuit against the New York doctor, Margaret Carpenter, MD, to describe MivePristone and MISOPROSTOL to a person in Texas. In February, For every ReutersTexas judge fined Dr. Carptter $ 100,000 after she did not respond to the state’s civil lawsuit. Dr. Carbnes is also criminal by the Greater Louisiana jury in January Description of miscarriage pills To a teenager in that case.

What does this mean for other countries?

A criminal indictment in one of the countries cannot directly affect how laws are applied or applied in another state. This detention in Texas may encourage other lawyers to follow -up similar charges against abortion providers in their states. The accusation of Rojas can also be the Canary in the charcoal mine, which indicates a flow of abortion provider arrests in countries that have a miscarriage, which includes most of the south and many parts of the Middle West.

What do the advocates of abortion rights say?

“The states, and the advocates of justice in abortion, need creative thinking and staying one step away from these efforts to combat miscarriage,” Lixi White, Director of State Strategies in Every* above all Recount luster. “The fight against criminalization of access to abortion surrounds the importance of seeing justice for abortion through a crosses. We know that the renewed implementation of these criminal laws will target inappropriately and harms societies from colored societies and admission throughout the country. Societies, where everyone can access reproductive health care with dignity and without fear of punishment or violence led by the state.”