Sanctuary cities for illegal immigrants and detainees are very popular right now, particularly in progressive strongholds in California and other border states. One Texas town has labeled itself as a sanctuary city of another kind — one for the unborn.
Waskom, Texas has a population of just 2,200, but it has taken a major step in the fight for life in the state. This week, the town of Waskom proclaimed itself to be a sanctuary city, not for illegal immigrants, but for unborn Americans. Waskom is just 20 miles from the Louisiana state border and is now the first Texas city to offer sweeping protections to the unborn.
Waskom city council voted unanimously this week, with the new ordinance designed to prevent abortions within town lines. It also criminalized the act of performing abortions within town limits and outlawed the presence of Planned Parenthood and similar providers from operating in the town.
This ordinance closely aligns with the one created in Roswell, New Mexico, which also considers itself to be a sanctuary city for unborn babies. The Waskom resolution goes a step further than the Roswell initiative, because it totally bans abortion within the town limits and offers sanctions against those who break the law.
According to Fox News, the new ordinance reads in part:
“The Supreme Court erred in Roe v. Wade when it said that pregnant women have a constitutional right to abort their pre-born children.”
Right to Life of East Texas director Mark Lee Dickson launched the idea, and shared it with city council. The creation of a sanctuary city is in direct response to the lack of action by state and local officials to protect unborn children.
“This is why we had to take things into our own hands and take it to the grassroots level,” Dickson said, speaking to Fox News. “Due to the recent pro-life legislation in Louisiana being so strong and due to the risk of an abortion clinic one day moving to Waskom, Texas, we decided to do something to protect the city, which was passing an ordinance outlawing abortion in Waskom, Texas.”
The ordinance was triggered in part by recent attempts by an abortion clinic to set up shop in Waskom. This would have led the small city to become an abortion destination, instead of a pro-life stronghold. According to Fox News, the creation of an abortion clinic in Waskom would have attracted clients from a 200 mile radius to the city. By creating a sanctuary city, the town has prevented the arrival of the clinic or another one like it.
By taking the drastic step of criminalizing abortion clinics within town limits and prohibiting the procedure, the town of Waskom has taken a strong Pro-Life stance and has made headlines across the nation. While no official challenges have been launched the city has already received negative attention from the progressive press and from groups supporting abortion in Texas and across the nation.
