Westbrook,Texas has declared itself a “sanctuary city for the unborn,” becoming the seventh city in the state to do so. This action will ban abortion within Westbrook throughout all stages of pregnancy, decrying it as an act of murder. The sanctuary cities for the unborn initiative was spearheaded by the East Texas chapter of Right to Life, and this strategy for preventing abortion clinics from opening in certain areas is gradually gaining momentum.
Several cities throughout Texas have become sanctuary cities for the unborn, but this form of protection for pre-born children is not limited to this state. Both Springdale, Arkansas and Riverton, Utah have declared themselves to be pro-life cities, and Phoenix, Arizona has considered enacting this form of defense for the unborn as well. By reaching out to individual hearts and minds at the local level, the pro-life cause is beginning to sow seeds of doubt in the abortion movement.
While the ordinance cannot be enforced until Roe v. Wade is overturned, private enforcement does not have to wait for the Supreme Court to make a decision. This means anyone with a familial connection to the aborted child may sue the abortionist for damages. However, abortion proponents are not pleased, and have referred to the recent rise in sanctuary cities as an “epidemic.”
To combat the conservative nature of Texas, Planned Parenthood has set its eyes on West Texas, having recently received a 49 million grant to open two facilities in the state by 2020. The abortion provider has also unveiled a new app which includes telemedicine abortions, and hoping to expand their clientele to the rural parts of Texas, Planned Parenthood has begun advocating for at-home medication abortions.
The sanctuary city ordinance outlines the constitutional right to “self-governance for local municipalities,” and that unborn children are “the most innocent among us and deserve equal protection under the law as any other member of American posterity.”
