The Biden administration’s Justice Department has intensified its crackdown on pro-life Americans, promising to continue its prosecution spree creatively. The Reproductive Rights Task Force (RRTF) celebrated its record, highlighting the Biden administration’s success in winning 23 out of 24 cases under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.
Since Biden took office in January 2021, the DOJ has prosecuted 24 cases, a significant increase compared to the 17 cases prosecuted by the Obama and Trump administrations in the preceding decade. The administration’s commitment to pursuing legal action on behalf of the abortion industry has sparked outrage among pro-life advocates.
The Biden-appointed task force, established after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, is determined to employ all available tools to protect the abortion industry. Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta emphasized the urgency of their work, citing the devastating impact of the Dobbs decision on the industry.
The Dobbs decision, handed down by the Supreme Court, resulted in a surge of pro-life state laws and a substantial decrease in abortions. Within six months, 32,000 children, who would have otherwise been aborted, were born. The decision also dealt a financial blow to the abortion industry, costing approximately $20 million in just half a year.
Despite these positive outcomes for the pro-life movement, the Biden administration, with its close ties to the abortion industry, remains committed to aggressive legal action. The DOJ, under Biden’s direction, aims to ensure the continued legality of the abortion pill, mifepristone, and closely monitors state laws protecting the unborn.
Critics argue that the administration’s focus on prosecuting pro-life advocates is unbalanced and undermines civil rights. The FACE Act, although intended to address blockades of abortion facilities, covers both abortion facilities and pro-life pregnancy resource centers. But the law has been used disproportionately to target pro-life activists, with only a minimal number of cases involving pro-abortion activists.
While pro-life advocates face aggressive legal action, attacks on churches and pro-life centers are seemingly ignored — despite the fact that pregnancy resource centers are far more likely to be attacked than abortion facilities. Out of 130 uses of the FACE Act since 1994, 126 were for pro-abortion activists and in defense of abortion providers, leaving only four cases for pro-life Americans and/or churches, according to Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas).
The DOJ’s Civil Rights division, tasked with protecting the rights of all Americans, has not stepped up to address the increasing incidents of hostility against churches. According to Family Research Council data, there were 57 pro-abortion acts of hostility against churches from January to September 2022. In the first quarter of 2023, this number increased to 69 incidents of hostility against churches. Despite this rise, the Civil Rights division has not taken decisive action.
Efforts to repeal the FACE Act are gaining momentum among Republicans, who view it as a tool of government weaponization. The Restoring the First Amendment and Right to Peaceful Civil Disobedience Act of 2023 aims to end selective prosecutions and uphold the principles of the First Amendment.
As the legal battle continues, pro-life advocates stress the need for a culture that values life. The Biden administration’s relentless pursuit of legal action against pro-life Americans, coupled with its apparent neglect of attacks on churches and pregnancy centers, highlights the deep ideological divide on the issue of abortion in the United States. In the face of growing concerns about the administration’s selective approach, Republicans are pushing for legislative measures to restore balance and protect the rights of all Americans, regardless of their stance on abortion.
