In a new program, the Biden administration has started to offer full abortion access to all migrant youth which includes transportation out of any state sporting abortion restriction over to another state in which the procedure is fully legal.
A memo was issued from the Department of Health and Human Services addressed to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) about the planned new changes in a memo put forth on Thursday regarding the offered abortion services.
This guidance tells all ORR care providers to put forth all “reasonable efforts” to assist any migrant minors to get access to abortions if they ask.
“This may involve transporting a minor to a state in which abortion is lawful and available if the minor is currently in a state in which abortion is not lawful or available,” explains the guidance.
The guidance issued by the ORR highlights two prime areas of focus. Firstly, the agency is instructed to put any pregnant minors into shelters within states that have not banned access to abortion.
Secondly, any pregnant minor within a shelter that requests access to an abortion while in a state that bans the practice must be issued transportation services out to another state in which the procedure is fully legal.
“We applaud ORR’s decision to place pregnant unaccompanied immigrant youth in states where they can access the full range of health care they may need, including abortion,” expressed the deputy director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, Brigitte Amiri, in a release.
The change garnered quite a bit of negative press from Chelsey Youman, the national legislative advisor for the pro-life advocacy organization Human Coalition Action.
“What kind of message does this send to the rest of the world that we prioritize abortions instead of protection for immigrants?” explained Youman in a release issued to the Christian Post.
“These children need compassion, quality medical care, and support — but instead we’re offering abortion — paid for by taxpayers. The United States has the power to end human trafficking and provide real solutions to hurting communities along the border, instead the administration chooses neglect. Vulnerable immigrant populations deserve better,” she stated.
The altered guidance is not the first plan from the Biden administration to increase access to abortion via federal intervention.
This past September, the administration announced that it would start making available “abortion counseling” and abortions to veterans via the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals without regard to the state’s stance on the procedure.
“As abortion bans come into force across the country, veterans in many States are no longer assured access to abortion services in their communities, even when those services are needed,” stated the rule. “Unless VA removes its existing prohibitions on abortion-related care and makes clear that needed abortion-related care is authorized, these veterans will face serious threats to their life and health.”
