Texas Midwife Arrested on Abortion and Unlicensed Practice Charges
Accusations and Charges
A Texas midwife has been apprehended, accused of performing abortions in violation of the state’s near-total ban, according to an announcement on Monday from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Maria Margarita Rojas has been charged with the unlawful performance of an abortion and with practicing medicine without a license, as stated in a press release from Paxton’s office. Under Texas law, illegal abortion performance is classified as a second-degree felony, potentially leading to decades-long imprisonment if convicted.
Context of the Arrest
Rojas’ arrest is believed to be the first criminal arrest under Texas’ abortion ban. Previously, Paxton’s office filed a lawsuit last year against Dr. Margaret Carpenter, an abortion provider based in New York, for purportedly mailing abortion pills to a Texan resident.
“In Texas, life is sacred. I will always do everything in my power to protect the unborn, defend our state’s pro-life laws, and work to ensure that unlicensed individuals endangering the lives of women by performing illegal abortions are fully prosecuted,” Paxton stated in a declaration accompanying the news of Rojas’ arrest. “Texas law protecting life is clear, and we will hold those who violate it accountable.”
Reaction and Background
Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, empowering Texas and over a dozen other states to outlaw nearly all abortions, anti-abortion advocates have expressed rising frustration over the scarcity of prosecutions against abortion providers. In Texas, some advocates have increasingly encouraged men whose partners have terminated pregnancies to initiate legal action.
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Details of Rojas’ Operations
Rojas, 48, managed a network of three clinics in the Houston area, according to Paxton’s office. These clinics, his office stated, “unlawfully employed unlicensed individuals who falsely presented themselves as licensed medical professionals to provide medical treatment”.
Requests for comment from Rojas’ clinics were not immediately answered. However, Holly Shearman, a midwife who operates a birthing center where Rojas occasionally worked, told the Texas Tribune she found the allegations unbelievable.
“I’ve known her for eight years and I’ve never heard her talk about anything like that,” Shearman said, noting Rojas’ devout Catholic faith and frequent work with Spanish-speaking, low-income individuals. “I just can’t picture Maria being involved in something like this.”
Historical Perspective
Midwives, particularly those of color, have historically been targeted by U.S. anti-abortion efforts. As abortion bans proliferated across the country during the 19th century, midwives often lost their livelihoods or faced criminal charges, which subsequently led to white, male doctors gaining their patients and dominating the medical field.