By: Nina Samone
On Friday, June 24th in a 5-4 decision, The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade – a landmark ruling that established the constitutional right to abortion in the United States in 1973.
This ruling gives states the power to set their own abortion laws.
Almost instantaneously, five states made abortion illegal. In over twenty other states, the rights to abortion are likely to be restricted or threatened soon.
Currently, the states with abortion bans are South Dakota, Utah, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama and Kentucky – according to The Guardian.
A ban on abortion would mean criminal penalties for both abortion providers and patients.
Numerous “blue states” pledged resistance and expansion, deeming themselves as “safe havens” for those seeking abortion. Many of these states also said they would resist extradition requests from other states who had laws against abortion.
Protests have already broken out all over the United States.
Sources:
Mangan, Dan & Breuninger, Kevin. June 24th, 2022. CNBC. “Supreme Court overturns Roe. V Wade, ending 50 years of federal abortion rights.” <https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/24/roe-v-wade-overturned-by-supreme-court-ending-federal-abortion-rights.html>
Olander, Olivia & Berg, Matt. June 27th, 2022. Politico. “The major abortion news in the 4 days since Roe v. Wade was overturned.” <https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/27/abortion-news-roe-v-wade-overturned-00042536>
IMAGE SOURCE: Politico.
