Judge puts hold on North Dakota trigger law banning abortion
MINNEAPOLIS – An abortion ban, blocked in the eleventh hour.
Beginning Friday, nearly all abortions are supposed to be illegal in North Dakota. But a judge won't let it happen just yet.
That judge says he needs more time to consider the state's so-called "trigger law." It was supposed to go into effect when Roe v. Wade was overturned, and it would make abortion illegal except in cases of rape, incest or when the mom's life is in danger.
The Red River Clinic was the state's only abortion clinic before moving across the Red River to Moorhead. It's their lawsuit that's stopping the ban from going into effect.
The clinic's director, Tammi Kromenaker, says women seeking the procedure already have a tough time.
"Even though we're here in Morehead and we're providing services for the patients, they're going to know that abortion is illegal in their state, and there's fear and there's stigma that go along with that," Kromenaker said. "We've already heard from patients in South Dakota, where the trigger ban has been in effect much longer, that they're scared about future prosecution."
While local groups against abortion, like Minnesota Citizens Concerned For Life (MCCL), say they're upset it's taking this long.
"We're disappointed that the judge has blocked that North Dakota law from going into effect," said MCCL communications director Paul Stark. It's a law we think should go into effect. It recognizes that all human beings have rights, including human beings in utero. Both unborn children and their mothers deserve protection and support."
Even though the clinic is across state lines, the judge said he's worried the doctors and patients from North Dakota could face legal issues.
The Red River Clinic said if they weren't open many of their patients would be forced to drive another four hours here to the Twin Cities. There is no word yet on how long this injunction will last.