A 17-year-old immigrant fights to have an abortion

ON SEPTEMBER 11th, a 17-year-old girl was apprehended as she illegally crossed into America from Mexico. Now nearly 16 weeks pregnant, the girl—known as Jane Doe or J.D. to protect her privacy—would like to have an abortion. But her custodian at a detention centre in Brownsville, Texas—the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—is refusing her request. The government will "protect the well-being of this minor and all children and their babies in our facilities”, an HHS spokesman explained. “[W]e will defend human dignity for all in our care." On October 18th, a federal judge instructed the federal government to grant J.D.’s wish, but two days later, a three-judge panel on the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit froze that order until October 31st by a 2-1 vote. If by that date the authorities have not found a sponsor “capable of providing for the child’s physical and mental well-being” who could help her procure an abortion, the court held, J.D. may return to court to plead her case...Continue reading

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