Pregnant Immigrant Teen Who Sued Over Abortion Leaves Federal Custody

Activists with the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon take part in a lobby day rally on the steps of the State Capitol in Salem, Ore., on March 23, 2017. The organization is focusing on issues such as drug defe... Activists with the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon take part in a lobby day rally on the steps of the State Capitol in Salem, Ore., on March 23, 2017. The organization is focusing on issues such as drug defelonization, prevention of profiling by law enforcement, ending the use of solitary confinement for youth, the Reproductive Health Equity Act, and the Right to Rest Act for the 2017 legislative session. (Photo by Alex Milan Tracy) *** Please Use Credit from Credit Field ***(Sipa via AP Images) MORE LESS

WASHINGTON (AP) — A pregnant immigrant teenager who told a judge that she was being prevented from having an abortion while in federal custody has been released, giving her the ability to obtain the procedure.

The Trump administration said in a court filing Sunday that the 17-year-old had been released to a “sponsor,” an adult who is usually a family member.

The teen, who hasn’t been identified by name, was the fourth pregnant immigrant teenager represented by the ACLU to go to court over the Department of Health and Human Services’ policy of refusing to facilitate abortions for minors in its custody. The ACLU called her an “unaccompanied minor,” suggesting she was detained while trying to enter the U.S.

A judge previously sided with the other teens represented by the ACLU.

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  1. If your not the person that wants to have a abortion STFU, as it’s none of your business!

  2. That reminds me to send more money to the ACLU.

  3. Avatar for weezer weezer says:

    Of course they had to let her go - her baby would be an American citizen if born while she is detained here. That would cause all kinds of problems for them. Detentions are lasting way longer than 9 months.

  4. Somehow this story has been linked to the dramatic firing of that HHS official late Friday. Would sure love to know the backstory.

  5. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that. I doubt there’s a single politician that really gives a damn about abortion. But they want the votes of those that do. So they jump on the anti-abortion wagon to get them. Abortion has devolved into a religious issue which should preclude it from our politics. But our politics has devolved too so here we are. Sooner or later a progressive pol will stand up to the abortion issue as one that should not be handled by government. Change the discussion to whether it’s right or wrong for the government to impose the will of a few on us all from whether abortion itself is right or wrong.

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