The nation’s biggest abortion provider has dropped its lawsuit against the nation’s biggest sanctuary city for the unborn in what is being hailed by pro-life activists as a major victory for the sanctuary city movement and the fight to end abortion.
Planned Parenthood affiliate Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas Surgical Health Services filed a motion to dismiss its lawsuit against Lubbock, Texas, in what National Review noted marks the first time an abortion ban has survived a court challenge since the passage of Roe v. Wade.
Lubbock is the most populous city in the nation to ban abortion on a local level as well as the only city with such an ordinance that had an operable abortion clinic at the time sanctuary city status was established.
Planned Parenthood, which had begun to perform abortions not long before the ordinance passed, was forced to cease doing so and has complied with city laws.
That means that, all told, this impressive pro-life victory has not only effectively ended abortions thanks to the city ordinance, but marks a considerable milestone in the fight to end abortion.
The abortion chain had vowed to adamantly fight the city ordinance, as they have the statewide legislation banning most abortions, often referred to as the Heartbeat Bill.
Their lawsuit against Lubbock was filed in May 2021 after the city’s residence passed the ordinance by a supermajority of 62.5%.
The referendum makes it “unlawful for any person to procure or perform an abortion of any type and at any stage of pregnancy” and, like the state’s Heartbeat Bill which was signed into law in 2021, relies on private citizens to enforce rather than officials.
Planned Parenthood had initially appealed a decision by U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Lubbock Division which upheld the city ban, but has now filed to dismiss.
The Christian Post reported that the move was celebrated by pro-life leaders and politicians who pointed to the successful strategy to craft legislation that would stand up to court challenges.
“We have said from the beginning that the abortion bans we have drafted are bulletproof from court challenge, and we are pleased that the litigation over Lubbock’s ordinance has proven us right,” Right to Life East Texas president Mark Lee Dickson, who has spearheaded the Sanctuary City movement in the state, “We will continue our work to enact similar ordinances in other cities throughout the United States.”
Republican state Rep. Dustin Burrows of Lubbock hailed the “major and historic victory for the right to life” on Twitter.
Pro-Life Victory!
In a major and historic victory for the right to life, Planned Parenthood is dropping its lawsuit over the city of Lubbock’s abortion ban, ensuring that the ordinance will remain in effect! #txlege #prolife #sanctuarycityfortheunborn pic.twitter.com/SrGsx1GlTD
— Dustin Burrows (@Burrows4TX) January 21, 2022
Lubbock state Sen. Charles Perry (R) issued congratulations to his constituents in a statement, praising “the city and the people of Lubbock on this historic victory — and for becoming the first jurisdiction in the United States to successfully defend an abortion ban in court since Roe v. Wade.”
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