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Health Care

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The Big Story

Texas AG makes multiple arrests over alleged illegal abortions

Ken Paxton this week announced the arrests of three people for allegedly providing abortions in the state, where nearly all abortions are outlawed and punishable with jail and fines.

Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP

Paxton, a Republican who has been Texas’s AG for a decade, announced Monday the arrest of certified nurse midwife Maria Margarita Rojas.

Rojas is accused of running a network of clinics in the Houston area that “unlawfully employed unlicensed individuals who falsely presented themselves as licensed medical professionals to provide medical treatment,” according to Paxton’s office.

Rojas’s case is one of the first to challenge the illegal operation of abortion clinics since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Jose Manuel Cendan Ley was arrested Monday and Rubildo Labanino Matos was arrested earlier in March. Ley, an employee of Rojas, has been accused of performing abortions illegally and for practicing medicine without a license along with Rojas. Matos was arrested in connection to the investigation.

Abortion has been almost entirely banned in Texas since a so-called “trigger law” was enacted after the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Abortions are only allowed in the state if they are needed to save the life of the pregnant woman. Under Texas law, a person who provides an illegal abortion could face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $100,000.

“Individuals killing unborn babies by performing illegal abortions in Texas will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and I will not rest until justice is served,” Paxton said in statement.

“I will continue to fight to protect life and work to ensure that anyone guilty of violating our state’s pro-life laws is held accountable.”

These arrests are the latest attempt by Paxton to go after abortion providers. Late last year, Paxton filed a lawsuit against New York doctor Margaret Carpenter for allegedly prescribing and sending abortion medication to a Texas woman.

Paxton argued in the suit that Carpenter violated Texas law by providing abortion medication across state lines. A Texas judge also fined Carpenter $100,000 in February for allegedly prescribing the medication.

Legal experts are unsure how Texas will be able to prosecute Carpenter since New York is one of more than a dozen states with a shield law in place to protect abortion providers from such legal action.

Welcome to The Hill’s Health Care newsletter, we’re Joseph Choi and Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.

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Around the Nation

Local and state headlines on health care:

Colorado lawmakers may route license plate revenue away from the disabled (The Colorado Sun)
Wyoming health dept says Trump not the reason $8.4 million for vax ads ending (Cowboy State News)
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What We’re Reading

Health news we’ve flagged from other outlets:

‘Segregated facilities’ are no longer explicitly banned in federal contracts (NPR)
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