EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — In a unanimous ruling, U.S. Supreme Court Justices held that the plaintiffs who challenged a commonly used abortion-inducing pill had no legal standing.
The 9-0 decision means that mifepristone, the first of two medications taken for a medical abortion, will remain accessible to women where abortions were already legal.
“In states that have not banned access, it’ll be legal to get. What the case was trying to do was to make it harder to receive [mifepristone] in states that still had legalized abortion,” said Todd Curry, an associate political science professor at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).
Curry said the challenger’s arguments against the FDA lacked basis.
“The reason why it was unanimous is it was decided on a very narrow area of law, which was simply stating that the individual that brought suit didn’t have the actual jurisdiction to actually be able to claim what they were claiming,” said Curry.
With some of the strictest abortion laws, the state of Texas will see no change despite the decision. As a tri-state region however, Borderland women have other options, especially in New Mexico where virtual and in-person abortion services are available.
In a statement, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said:
“Today’s unanimous decision is a positive development for those advocating for reproductive rights and access to safe abortion methods, particularly given the extensive evidence supporting the drug’s safety and efficacy. We must continue to support policies and legal actions that protect and expand access to abortion, ensuring that all individuals have the right to make decisions about their own bodies without unnecessary restrictions.”
Conservative groups say in light of the dismissal, their fight is not over.
Jonathan Saenz, president and attorney for Texas Values, said in a statement:
“Today’s ruling at the Supreme Court might look like a setback, but the fight is not over. Abortion drugs still remain dangerous and can end the lives of two people, with one in 25 women rushed to the emergency room after taking abortion drugs. But Texas laws are clear, babies’ lives are protected in the womb and the mailing of chemical drugs is illegal in the state of Texas.”
The higher court ruling still leaves the door open for another plaintiff to bring the case back in the future, but they would need to show direct or likelihood of injury.
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