In a stunning turn of events, the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, paving the way for states to once again outlaw abortion. According to The Los Angeles Times, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority struck down the historic 1973 ruling, citing the fact that the Constitution doesn’t protect the right to an abortion as the reason for their decision. The Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision doesn’t outlaw abortion in the U.S. Instead, it takes the power to make that decision away from the federal government and returns it to the states.
Justices Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Clarence Thomas, Amy Coney Barrett, Brett M. Kavanaugh, and Neil M. Gorsuch were all in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade, as well as Planned Parenthood vs. Casey. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., a fellow conservative, did not join the majority decision. Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen G. Breyer, and Elena Kagan, the court’s three liberal justices, dissented.
Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, several states have begun enacting, or are in the process of enacting, laws outlawing abortion. States expected to restrict abortion rights or make abortion illegal include Texas, Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Louisiana, Missouri, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Oklahoma.
Other states, such as California, New York, and Massachusetts, have enacted, or are in the process of enacting, laws that protect the right to an abortion inside their borders.
Will Women Be Forced to Seek Abortions Outside the U.S.?
In most cases, women won’t be forced to seek abortions outside the U.S. However, in many cases, they may have to travel from their home state to a state where abortions are still legal. Despite the option to get abortions in the U.S., in some instances, women have been traveling to Mexico to have abortions. Specifically, women are heading south of the border to acquire abortion pills, which are easier to access and cheaper in Mexico.
Could the Supreme Court Target Immigration Laws in the Future?
With conservatives having such a decisive advantage, the Supreme Court seems set to rewrite the laws of this country in a myriad of ways. Several issues, including laws protecting the right to contraception and same-sex marriage, have been mentioned as possibly being in their crosshairs. It’s not too far-fetched to believe that at some point down the road the Supreme Court could target immigration laws. If they do, it’s a move that has the potential to drastically change the lives of U.S. immigrants nationwide and anyone planning to immigrate to the U.S. in the future.
For more information about U.S. immigration laws, and how future Supreme Court decisions could impact them, continue following our blog. You can also follow Mathur Law Offices, P.C. on Facebook and Twitter! To speak with our experienced immigration attorneys about your situation, call us at (888) 867-5191 or contact us online.