DOJ Asks Texas Court to Halt Abortion Ban

Also in Texas, the Justice Department has asked the 5th US circuit court of appeals to halt the state’s six week abortion ban. The DOJ said by allowing the ban to remain in effect it would ‘prolong its substantial harm to the United States’ sovereign interests and would disserve the public interest’.  Last week the Justice Department had secured a preliminary order blocking the ban from US District Judge Robert Pitman. The morning after his order, some clinics in Texas resumed their practices to patients who were beyond six weeks in their pregnancies. On Friday at the state’s request, the 5th Circuit put a hold on Pitman’s order which revived the law. The Circuit is now considering whether to keep it enforced while it considers the appeal of Pitman’s order.