A U.S. judge has temporarily blocked enforcement of Texas’ new abortion law, granting an emergency request from the Justice Department.
The DOJ sought the halt in enforcement just days after the department sued Texas. Known as S.B. 8, the law bans almost all abortions in the state after about 6 weeks of pregnancy — even in cases of rape, sexual abuse and incest.
“From the moment S.B. 8 went into effect, women have been unlawfully prevented from exercising control over their lives in ways that are protected by the Constitution,” Judge Robert Pitman wrote. “… this Court will not sanction one more day of this offensive deprivation of such an important right.”