Federal Appeals Court Reinstates Controversial Texas Abortion Ban
03:00 GMT 09.10.2021 (Updated: 13:25 GMT 06.08.2022)
© EVELYN HOCKSTEINTexas police separate anti-abortion protestors from supporters of reproductive freedom during the nationwide Women's March, held after Texas rolled out a near-total ban on abortion procedures and access to abortion-inducing medications, in Austin, Texas, U.S., October 2, 2021.
© EVELYN HOCKSTEIN
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The move comes just two days after the "heartbeat" law was temporarily suspended, allowing clinics in the state to resume terminations.
On Friday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the suspension of Texas' controversial abortion legislation by a US District judge earlier this week.
Federal Judge Robert Pitman had granted the request by the Department of Justice to issue a temporary restraining order against the abortion ban, which was appealed — and now won — by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Paxton has welcomed the decision on Twitter, vowing to fight further for Texas' freedom from "federal overreach".
Great news tonight, The Fifth Circuit has granted an administrative stay on #SB8. I will fight federal overreach at every turn. https://t.co/Mrfj3lt2ix
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) October 9, 2021
The "heartbeat" legislation, which took effect in September, was given its name since it bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, i.e., when a fetal heartbeat can be detected.
The bill has sparked controversy and protests in Texas, with opponents insisting that prohibiting termination at such an early stage basically amounts to a full ban on abortion, since most women who request the procedure are usually more than six weeks pregnant.
Following the appeals court's decision, the abortion ban is now back in Texas until the US Supreme Court rules whether it is constitutional.