Published 10-25-2017                Federal Appeals Courts Gives OK

By J. Noel Espinoza/RioGrandeInfo

After a series of appeals in court, a 17-year-old undocumented immigrant ended her pregnancy Wednesday, a victory for abortion rights advocates against the Trump administration’s new stricter policies.

Identified as Jane Doe in court, the teenager has been detained in a government-funded shelter in Brownsville run by a private contractor. She has been seeking an abortion since September.

“Justice prevailed today for Jane Doe,” said Brigitte Amiri, senior staff attorney with the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project which represented the teen, and reported by national media. “But make no mistake about it; the administration’s efforts to interfere in women’s decisions won’t stop with Jane.”

On Tuesday, the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit reversed the decision of a three-judge panel of the same court without first holding oral arguments. The panel decision would have suspended the abortion.

According to government officials, abortion is illegal in the teen’s home country, which has been sealed in court records.

The teenager, identified as being of Central American origin, told authorities she didn’t realize she was pregnant when she was arrested crossing the border.

In the beginning, government lawyers wanted to just deport the teenager without a legal hearing.

The Trump administration has a policy of “refusing to facilitate” abortions for undocumented minors. In contrast, the Obama administration allowed them,

The teen’s lawyers argue the government was violating her constitutional right to choose an abortion.