The conservative-leaning US Supreme Court on Friday refused to block a Texas law that bans most abortions after six weeks, but left the door open for abortion providers to challenge the law in lower courts.
Anti-abortion groups welcomed the ruling, which did not address the constitutionality of the Texas law, while abortion rights advocates expressed concern.
“Today’s decision is not okay,” said Amy Hagstrom Miller, president and chief executive of Whole Woman’s Health, which operates the Texas abortion clinics that filed suit against the law. “It is unjust, cruel, and inhumane.”
US President Joe Biden said he was “very concerned” that the Supreme Court allowed the Texas law to stand and reiterated his commitment to abortion rights.
“I will always stand with women to protect and defend their long-recognized, constitutional right,” Biden said in a statement.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called it a “huge win,” while Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List, welcomed that the Texas law would remain in force for now.
“We celebrate that the Texas Heartbeat Act will remain in effect, saving the lives of unborn children and protecting mothers while litigation continues in lower courts,” Dannenfelser said in a statement.
The Texas ruling comes 10 days after the conservative majority on the court indicated in another case that they might be inclined to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that held that access to abortion is a constitutional right.
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Wednesday last week about a Mississippi law that would ban most abortions after 15 weeks, and the court’s conservative wing — which includes three justices nominated by Donald Trump — appeared ready to uphold the law and perhaps even go further and overturn Roe.
The court is to render a decision in the Mississippi case by June.
The Texas law bans abortion after six weeks, when a heartbeat can be detected but before many women even know they are pregnant.
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