Patients Who Sued Texas Over Abortion Ban Set the Record Straight as Dangerous Abortion Bills Move Through State Legislature

**WATCH THE EVENT HERE** 

TEXAS –– Today, a handful of women denied medical care under Texas’ extreme abortion ban joined Free & Just to speak out against dangerous bills moving through the Texas Legislature — measures that would further harm patients and providers across the state.

Ashley Brandt, Kaitlyn Kash, Lauren Miller, Taylor Edwards, Samantha Casiano, Jessica Bernardo, and Hollie Cunningham called out Texas lawmakers for rebranding Texas’ cruel abortion ban while quietly pushing new laws that go even further — punishing patients, providers, and families seeking care. On Friday, plaintiffs from the landmark Zurawski v. Texas lawsuit and their families sent a letter to the legislature urging lawmakers to take their concerns about bills celebrated as a “fix” to the state’s deadly abortion ban seriously. 

“When these bills (SB31/HR44) were filed, some of us thought that there was hope, and that maybe our stories did something – and then we read them,” said Kaitlyn Kash, a mother based in Austin and a former plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas, who was denied care in Texas. “We realized this legislation is not what it is being sold as, and as storytellers who have come forward publicly, we knew we had to speak out. We are fed up and tired of the state treating us this way.” 

“I am worried that lawmakers are not listening to the people who are actually impacted by these laws,” said Taylor Edwards, an Austin-area mother and former plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas, who was forced to travel to Colorado for care when she learned that her baby had a severe brain abnormality. Edwards and others have testified at hearings on SB31 and HB44, but worry that  lawmakers are not taking their concerns seriously. “I don’t feel that I can trust what’s being said, and I fear that lawmakers’ true intentions are to make empty promises and distract from the actions taken to trample on the rights of women in Texas.”

“The average Texan doesn’t realize that so-called ‘medical exceptions’ don’t work until someone they love ends up in an impossible situation,” said Ashley Brandt, a former plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas, who was forced to travel out-of-state for care when one of the twins she was pregnant with was diagnosed with a fatal condition that threatened both Ashley and the healthy baby she was carrying. Brandt warned that the legislation moving through the Texas legislature right now would criminalize patients and families like hers, making a devastating loss even more painful to navigate. “If Texas politicians want our trust, they need to trust those who have experienced these situations and know what this legislation would mean for us and our loved ones. Texas can do better.”

“Texas has become a dangerous place for pregnant women and the people who love them,” said Hollie Cunningham of Dallas, who was forced to leave the state twice in one year for two non-viable pregnancies with the same fetal diagnosis. “Lawmakers have heard our stories and seen our tears, and still they have nothing. Our pain is being met with silence. No family should be pushed to the brink or threatened with prosecution because lawmakers refuse to act.”

“We are real people, and we are standing together because we want to protect other families from the trauma we’ve suffered,” said Samantha Casiano, a former plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas, and a mother of four who was forced to give birth to her daughter, Halo in 2023, despite knowing that she would survive just a few painful hours. According to Casiano, the legislation some are celebrating as an effort to protect women would not help patients like her or prevent the suffering that her daughter was forced to endure. “These are private family matters, and it’s scary that lawmakers want to intervene, and even potentially punish patients like me.”

“The way these bills are written right now force women like me to endure the torture of nonviable pregnancies,” said Lauren Miller, a former plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas, and a mother who described feeling “hunted” by the state of Texas when she traveled to Colorado for care she was denied at home. Miller blasted extremist lawmakers for attempting to distract Texans with SB31 and HB44 while advancing dangerous legislation that would criminalize patients and doctors. “We are fighting for scraps here. How many times do we have to stand up and beg for our most basic rights?”

If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the press event, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

You can watch the virtual press event here and read the letter sent by the plaintiffs in Zurawski v. Texas to Texas lawmakers last week here. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

BREAKING: Senate Confirms Dr. Oz as Head of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Jeopardizing Millions of Americans’ Access to Care, Including Lifesaving Abortion Care

For Immediate Release

April 3, 2025 

Contact: Kelly Rimar kelly@freeandjust.us 

BREAKING: Senate Confirms Dr. Oz as Head of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Jeopardizing Millions of Americans’ Access to Care, Including Lifesaving Abortion Care 

Abortion bans are killing women. President Trump just added another anti-abortion extremist to his cabinet.

WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, the Senate confirmed radical anti-abortion extremist Dr. Mehmet Oz to serve as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), one of the largest federal agencies that administers health care to more than 160 million Americans. Dr. Oz’s confirmation puts millions of Americans at risk of losing access to health care, including lifesaving emergency care. 

Nearly 17 million women of reproductive age receive health coverage through Medicaid, and more than 40% of births in the U.S. are covered by Medicaid. As CMS administrator, Dr. Oz can limit access to prenatal, delivery, and postpartum care, as well as access to birth control and other reproductive health care for women across the country.

As CMS administrator, Oz will also be responsible for overseeing investigations into alleged violations of federal law that requires hospitals to provide lifesaving emergency abortion care under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). 

Abortion bans are killing women across the country, and instead of pledging to protect access to lifesaving abortion care, Dr. Oz, who has claimed that ending a pregnancy at any stage is “murder,”  confirmed in March that he remains in lock-step with the Trump administration, which is committed to banning abortion nationwide – even though it means more women will die.

Following his confirmation, Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just released the following statement: 

“Dr. Oz is a radical extremist and celebrity personality who has no business intervening in the health care of women across the country. The Trump administration is working to roll back access to everything from birth control to lifesaving abortion care, and the last thing Americans want or need is another extremist creating barriers to accessing care. Now more than ever, we must amplify the stories of people affected by these attacks and be clear about the deadly consequences of attacks on reproductive freedom.”

If you are interested in learning more about the extremists in Trump’s cabinet, what’s at stake for abortion access, and how the Trump administration is working to ban abortion nationwide, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

Free & Just is committed to fighting for reproductive freedom. Join us in sharing stories, raising voices, and securing our future. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

ICYMI: Dr. Caitlin Gustafson Addresses House Members on the Dangers of Extreme Abortion Bans in Washington D.C.

For Immediate Release

April 3, 2025

Contact: Malachi White, malachi@freeandjust.us 

ICYMI: Dr. Caitlin Gustafson Addresses House Members on the Dangers of Extreme Abortion Bans in Washington D.C.

During her visit, Dr. Gustafson was honored for her work as a rural family physician and her advocacy for reproductive freedom in states with extreme abortion bans.

WASHINGTON, DC –– This week to close out Women’s History Month, Dr. Caitlin Gustafson met with members of Congress, including members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, to advocate against abortion bans in her home state of Idaho and across the country. 

During her visit to the nation’s capital she was honored for her work as a clinician and rural family physician in Idaho while fighting to defend access to lifesaving medical care amidst ongoing attacks from the Trump administration and extreme anti-abortion policy makers. 

Dr. Gustafson addressed House Democratic leadership and members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus while being honored for her work. Remarks can be found below:

“Thank you to the DWC and to Chairwoman Fernandez. I also want to thank Free and Just who brought me out here and has elevated this work, and done the work of bringing storytellers to this issue because that's really what it takes is for us to continue to tell the hardest stories out there. Unfortunately, that's the time we're living in. For me, as a rural family doctor, I've lost a lot. In Idaho, I have the privilege of taking care of families, generations of families in Idaho. I love it. I had the dream job, until the Idaho abortion ban came into effect. Some of you know what's going on with EMTALA—that is just the tip of the issue for the abortion care issue. It’s so important to the fight that we're fighting for basic emergency care as it relates to reproductive health care. So thanks again for keeping the fight going, for understanding how important this is, for elevating the stories of patients, providers, and families who are affected by this issue. Reproductive freedom is an American dream. It doesn't have to be just a dream, though. It's an American right. We will get there, I’m keeping the hope. Thank you very much for having me and for this honor.”

Earlier this month the Trump administration abandoned the legal challenge to Idaho’s abortion ban regarding the right to emergency abortion care under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). Subsequently, an Idaho federal judge issued a decision granting a preliminary injunction against the state abortion ban that applies only to St. Luke’s, the largest health system in Idaho, meaning that whether or not patients can receive life-saving emergency care in Idaho depends on which ER they show up to, as every other hospital and provider in Idaho will once again be forced to airlift patients out of state or wait until their conditions worsen before they can intervene to provide the necessary care. 

Protecting abortion rights and expanding access to care has never been more universally popular, uniting Americans of all race, gender, socio-economic status, geography, and political affiliations. Surveys have found that only 15% of people had heard a lot or some about the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act. Still, despite the popularity of access to abortion care, the Trump administration continues to attack access to this lifesaving emergency care.  

If you are interested in speaking with Dr. Gustafson about her experience in DC or as a provider in Idaho, or patients living in Idaho regarding their experience living in a post Roe world, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. If you are interested in learning more about the research gathered regarding state-level abortion bans and federal activity, please contact malachi@freeandjust.us. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

Dr. Caitlin Gustafson Travels to DC to Highlight Dangers of Idaho Abortion Ban with Democratic Women’s Caucus and House Democrats for Women’s History Month

For Immediate Release

March 31, 2025

Contact: Malachi White, malachi@freeandjust.us 

Dr. Caitlin Gustafson Travels to DC to Highlight Dangers of Idaho Abortion Ban with Democratic Women’s Caucus and House Democrats for Women’s History Month

Dr. Gustafson is a family physician in McCall, Idaho and the Co-President of the Idaho Coalition for Safe Healthcare

WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, Dr. Caitlin Gustafson met with members of Congress, including members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, to advocate against abortion bans in her home state of Idaho and across the country. 

During her visit to the nation’s capital she was honored for her work as a clinician and family physician in Idaho while fighting to defend access to lifesaving medical care. The honor comes at the end of Women’s History Month, amidst ongoing attacks from the Trump administration and MAGA Republicans to restrict and ban access to lifesaving abortion care in Idaho and across the country. 

Dr. Gustafson has continuously spoken out against these attacks and the consequences abortion bans have on patients in her community and nationwide.

“As a rural family physician, my practice is broad in scope and often includes pregnancy, labor and delivery care for my patients who do not have access to specialized services,” said Dr. Caitlin Gustafson. “I’m honored to be recognized by the Democratic Women’s Caucus, and it’s not lost on me that I am receiving this honor at a time where the Trump Administration and MAGA Republicans are attacking abortion access for patients across the country, including access to lifesaving emergency abortion care. I came to Washington DC to educate lawmakers about what’s at stake for the patients I serve every day – including the right to receive life-saving emergency care no matter which emergency room they go to in the state of Idaho.”

Earlier this month the Trump administration abandoned the legal challenge to Idaho’s abortion ban regarding the right to emergency abortion care under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). Subsequently, just last week, an Idaho federal judge issued a decision granting a preliminary injunction against the state abortion ban that applies only to St. Luke’s, the largest health system in Idaho, meaning that whether or not patients can receive life-saving emergency care in Idaho depends on which ER they show up to, as every other hospital and provider in Idaho will once again be forced to airlift patients out of state or wait until their conditions worsen before they can intervene to provide the necessary care. 

“Dr. Gustafson’s work and advocacy is critical to ensure the well-being and safety of patients in her community and across the country.” said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just. “As the Trump administration and MAGA extremists in Congress use every tool at their disposal to restrict or ban abortion nationwide, including in states like Idaho, providers like Dr. Gustafson are being put in impossible positions because the government thinks it knows better than Idaho families and their doctors. The Trump Administration’s decision to abandon the EMTALA case means that more women will be at risk of dying, full stop.” 

Protecting abortion rights and expanding access to care has never been more universally popular, uniting Americans of all race, gender, socio-economic status, geography, and political affiliations. Surveys have found that only 15% of people had heard a lot or some about the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act. Still, despite the popularity of access to abortion care, the Trump administration continues to attack access to this lifesaving emergency care.  

If you are interested in speaking with Dr. Gustafson about her experience in DC or as a provider in Idaho, or patients living in Idaho regarding their experience living in a post Roe world, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. If you are interested in learning more about the research gathered regarding state-level abortion bans and federal activity, please contact malachi@freeandjust.us. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

Free & Just Condemns Criminalization of Georgia Woman’s Miscarriage While State Legislature Moves Legislation to Classify Abortion as Homicide

For Immediate Release

March 28, 2025

Contact: Malachi White, malachi@freeandjust.us 

Free & Just Condemns Criminalization of Georgia Woman’s Miscarriage While State Legislature Moves Legislation to Classify Abortion as Homicide

24-year-old, Selena Maria Chandler Scott, found unconscious and bleeding still sits in jail for criminalized miscarriage. 

WASHINGTON, DC –– This week, law enforcement arrested Selena Maria Chandler Scott, 24, after she suffered a miscarriage. She is being wrongfully charged with “concealing the death of another person” and “throwing away or abandonment of a dead body” due to Georgia’s extreme anti-abortion laws. She is currently in jail. 

Between 10% and 20% of all known pregnancies end in miscarriage. Meanwhile, instead of pushing efforts to prioritize the health and safety of women and patients in Georgia, Republicans are moving another extreme bill (HB 441) that would be a total ban on abortion — going even further than what is current state law. This showcases the fact that Republican lawmakers care more about infringing people’s rights than ensuring the wellbeing of patients seeking care. As of today, Republican lawmakers across ten states including Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, Indiana, Iowa, Idaho and North Dakota, have introduced legislation that aims to charge pregnant women with homicide if they seek out or receive abortion care.

“My daughter waited 20 hours for emergency care and ultimately lost her life. I don’t want another mother to experience the loss I have suffered,” said Shanette Williams, whose daughter Amber Nicole Thurman lost her life in Georgia after being denied timely medical care due to the state’s abortion ban. “Arresting people who experience miscarriages will not keep women and families safe in Georgia.”

“I have been an ultrasound tech in Georgia for 20 years, and what is happening to Ms. Scott and others like her is inhumane and unbecoming of our country,” said Suki O, an ultrasound technician who helps abortion patients in the Atlanta area. “I’ve seen first-hand the impact of the Dobbs decision on my patients, many of whom have had miscarriages or other tragic situations due to fetal anomalies, ectopic pregnancies, or simply not having access to timely medical care when they need it most. What is happening to Ms. Scott is an injustice and abuse of a law that already infringes greatly on the rights of women in Georgia.” 

“Abortion bans in a post Roe world are not only killing women, but also criminalizing women who lack access to lifesaving care even after having a miscarriage. People across the country are enduring devastating loss and fear because of ongoing attacks on access to reproductive health care, and there is no excuse for the trauma inflicted on these people, including Selena,” said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just. “Abortion bans are killing women and instead of working to protect families, lawmakers are going out of their way to punish pregnant women who are already grieving devastating losses. What’s happening to this young woman is a reflection of the priorities of extreme anti-abortion legislators in Georgia and across the country.”

If you are interested in speaking with Shanette Williams and Suki O about their experiences in Georgia, or other storytellers living in Georgia regarding living in a post Roe world, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. If you are interested in learning more about the research gathered regarding state-level abortion bans and federal activity, please contact malachi@freeandjust.us. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

STATEMENT: Free & Just Responds to CDC Nominee Withdrawal, Demands Director Who Will Protect Women’s Health

For Immediate Release 

March 13, 2025

Contact: Kelly Rimar kelly@freeandjust.us  

Free & Just Responds to CDC Nominee Withdrawal, Demands Director Who Will Protect Women’s Health

WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, just minutes before President Trump’s nominee to serve as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), anti-abortion extremist, David Weldon, was set to appear before the Senate HELP Committee, the administration announced that Weldon’s nomination had been withdrawn. 

This week, Free & Just exposed David Weldon as a radical anti-abortion extremist with a long and dangerous record of limiting access to care. Weldon’s withdrawal means the Trump administration has another opportunity to nominate a leader who will play a critical role in safeguarding Americans’ health – including the health of women seeking reproductive care.

Following the announcement that Weldon’s nomination had been withdrawn, Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just released the following statement: 

“President Trump’s cabinet is already jam-packed with anti-abortion extremists like Attorney General Pam Bondi and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and the last thing Americans want or need is another appointee who will weaponize the federal government to restrict access to reproductive health care nationwide. Abortion bans are killing women across the country, and Americans need a leader at the CDC who can be trusted with sensitive data and will protect women’s health – not put more lives at risk.”

If you are interested in learning more about the extremists in Trump’s cabinet, what’s at stake for abortion access, and how the Trump administration is working to ban abortion nationwide, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

Free & Just is committed to fighting for reproductive freedom. Join us in sharing stories, raising voices, and securing our future. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

Free & Just to Launch Mobile Billboard Exposing CDC Nominee David Weldon’s Anti-Abortion Extremism, Urging Senators to Oppose Confirmation

**MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 13 FROM 8AM-4PM ET**

Free & Just to Launch Mobile Billboard Exposing CDC Nominee David Weldon’s Anti-Abortion Extremism, Urging Senators to Oppose Confirmation

Weldon’s dangerous record to be exposed at confirmation hearing Thursday 

WASHINGTON, DC –– On Thursday, March 13, Free & Just is launching a mobile billboard exposing David Weldon, President Trump’s nominee to serve as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as a radical anti-abortion extremist unfit to lead this important federal agency. Weldon will appear before the Senate HELP Committee for a hearing on Thursday at 10am ET.

President Trump’s cabinet is jam-packed with anti-abortion extremists like Attorney General Pam Bondi and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and together, with David Weldon as head of the CDC, these appointees could exploit the power of the federal government to ban abortion nationwide.

The mobile billboard will travel around Capitol Hill during Weldon’s confirmation hearing from 8AM–4PM ET (see route below). 

Contact Kelly Rimar (kelly@freeandjust.us) for questions or more information.

Abortion bans are killing women and devastating communities across the country. Instead of taking steps to protect families, Trump and extremists like David Weldon want to roll back our rights even further. The Senate must prioritize the health and safety of women across the country by opposing the confirmation of David Weldon as CDC director.

WHAT: Mobile billboard circulating around Capitol Hill during David Weldon’s confirmation hearing

WHEN: Thursday, March 13 from 8am-4pm ET

WHERE: Billboard to travel around Capitol Hill (see route below)

*ICYMI* Free & Just Launches Digital Ads Highlighting Trump Administration’s New Attack on Access to Lifesaving Emergency Care

For Immediate Release

March 10, 2025

Contact: Malachi White, malachi@freeandjust.us  

Free & Just Launches Digital Ads Highlighting Trump Administration’s New Attack on Access to Lifesaving Emergency Care

Six-figure ad buy in Georgia, Texas, and Wisconsin spotlights deadly implications of the Trump administration’s move to limit access to emergency care 

WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, Free and Just launched new digital ads responding to the Trump administration abandoning the legal challenge to Idaho’s ban on emergency abortion care. The six-figure digital buy in Georgia, Texas, and Wisconsin educates Americans about the decision that puts millions of patients and families at risk and the lives of women in the hands of extremist politicians. 

You can watch the ad here.  

“Last week, just hours before the President’s joint address to Congress, the Trump administration quietly launched a deadly new attack on abortion access which could leave millions of women across the country without access to lifesaving medical care,” said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just. “Abortion bans hurt all of us, no matter where we live, and they are a horrific example of government overreach that gets in the way of lifesaving care for women. The Trump administration has already shown us that they are using every tool at their disposal to restrict or ban abortion nationwide. These ads spotlight how this administration's extreme anti-abortion agenda puts the lives of millions of women at risk. Abortion bans are killing women, and instead of focusing on protecting access to lifesaving medical care, extreme politicians in the White House and Congress are working to roll back patient’s rights even further.” 

Protecting abortion rights and expanding access to care has never been more universally popular, uniting Americans of all race, gender, socio-economic status, geography, and political affiliations. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) is a federal law that requires hospitals to provide emergency medical treatment to anyone who needs it, regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status. Importantly, this includes emergency abortion care when a pregnancy threatens a patient's life or health. The administration's decision to drop this legal challenge could allow states to restrict emergency abortion care even when medically necessary to save a patient's life. Surveys have found that while only 15% of people had heard a lot or some about the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, the protections guaranteed by the law are overwhelmingly popular. Still, despite the popularity of access to abortion care, the Trump administration continues to attack access to this lifesaving emergency care.  

If you are interested in speaking with healthcare providers or patients about their experience living in a post Roe world, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. If you are interested in learning more about the research gathered regarding state-level abortion bans and federal activity, please contact malachi@freeandjust.us. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

BREAKING: Trump Administration Abandons Legal Challenge to Idaho Abortion Ban, Jeopardizing Access to Lifesaving Medical Care Across the Country

For Immediate Release

March 5, 2025

Contact: Kelly Rimar, kelly@freeandjust.us   

BREAKING: Trump Administration Abandons Legal Challenge to Idaho Abortion Ban, Jeopardizing Access to Lifesaving Medical Care Across the Country

Abortion bans are killing women – the Department of Justice is putting millions more lives at risk 

WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, the Trump administration abandoned the legal challenge to Idaho’s abortion ban regarding the right to emergency abortion care under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). This move from the Department of Justice, which was announced hours before President Trump’s joint address to Congress in an apparent attempt to hide it from the American public, further demonstrates the Trump administration's intent to ban and restrict abortion nationwide putting more women’s lives in danger, regardless of the many patients and families who depend on this medically-necessary, lifesaving care across the country.

Free & Just is launching a six-figure digital buy in Wisconsin, Georgia, and Texas to educate Americans about this under-the-radar move by the Trump administration that puts millions of patients and families at risk and the lives of women in the hands of extremist politicians.

The reality is that at least one-third of women will go to the emergency room during their pregnancies, as pregnancy complications can be life-threatening - regardless of the disinformation being touted by anti-abortion extremists. After Idaho began enforcing the ban on emergency abortion care in January 2024, at least six patients with severe pregnancy complications were airlifted out of state to receive emergency care in the following three months. 

Protecting abortion rights and expanding access to care has never been more universally popular, uniting Americans of all race, gender, socio-economic status, geography, and political affiliations. Surveys have found that while only 15% of people had heard a lot or some about the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, the protections guaranteed by the law are overwhelmingly popular even after a simple description. Still, despite the popularity of access to abortion care, the Trump administration continues to attack access to this lifesaving care.  

In response to the Trump administration and Department of Justice’s decision, Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just released the following statement:

“This week, with much of the country distracted by President Trump’s joint address before Congress, the Department of Justice quietly greenlit another deadly attack on access to lifesaving abortion care. The administration's decision to abandon the challenge to Idaho’s abortion ban empowers extremists across the country, and leaves patients and providers at risk. Abortion bans are killing women, and instead of taking steps to protect access to lifesaving medical care, Trump and Republican officials are working behind-the-scenes to roll back our rights even further. Today’s decision confirms that the Trump administration is committed to banning abortion nationwide at the risk of patients’ lives.”   

Following the DOJ’s filing to dismiss the case, emergency medicine physicians and patient storytellers from Idaho and across the country released statements highlighting how the administration’s decision puts lives at risk. 

“Idaho is not a safe place to be pregnant, and this move from Trump’s Department of Justice confirms that attacks on access to care will only continue to escalate,” said Kayla Smith, who was forced to flee the state of Idaho for lifesaving abortion care after the state’s extreme abortion ban took effect. “I am heartbroken and outraged for the people of Idaho, who could soon find themselves forced to travel out-of-state for lifesaving medical care like my family was.” Smith is one of three plaintiffs in Adkins v. State of Idaho, a case challenging the state’s abortion ban.

"All Americans, including those in Idaho, deserve better than extremist policies that make standard medical care illegal," said Dr. Caitlin Gustafson, a family physician and President of the Idaho Coalition for Safe Healthcare Foundation. “The Trump administration is going out of its way to make our jobs as doctors more difficult, and undermining the care we are able to provide to our patients. Politicizing lifesaving medical care is dangerous and it is wrong. Our lawmakers need to focus on making healthcare safer and more accessible, not less.”

“For decades, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) has guaranteed that emergency medicine physicians like me can provide appropriate care to every patient we treat – the Trump administration is trying to change that,” said Dr. Sophia Spadafore, an Emergency Medicine physician practicing in New York City. “I am fearful for my patients, for my colleagues, and for every person who could soon find themselves turned away from the ER and unable to access the care they need.”

If you are interested in speaking with any of the storytellers quoted above, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

Free & Just is committed to fighting for reproductive freedom. Join us in sharing stories, raising voices, and securing our future. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

Free & Just Statement on President Trump’s Joint Address

For Immediate Release

March 5, 2025 

Contact: Malachi White, malachi@freeandjust.us 

WASHINGTON D.C.  – Last night, the issue of abortion was notably absent from President Donald Trump’s Joint Address. The failure to mention the issue of abortion was notable at a time when the Trump administration has ramped up attacks on reproductive freedom, largely due to the policy agenda of anti-abortion extremists seeking to further ban or restrict abortion across the country. One in seven women in states with abortion bans say they, or someone they know, has had difficulty accessing an abortion due to restrictions in their state since Roe was overturned. Now that anti-abortion extremists control the White House and Congress, it’s more important than ever that everyone understands what’s at stake when it comes to abortion access and reproductive freedom in this country.

In response Trump’s remark at today’s State of the Union address, Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just released the following statement:  

“Despite the fact that Trump continues to pretend that banning abortion isn’t on his agenda, he and his extremist colleagues in Congress have a clear record of pushing an anti-abortion agenda that would gut reproductive health care for so many patients and families across the country. Abortion bans hurt all of us – no matter where we live and who we are. Extremist rhetoric and fearmongering of the facts surrounding abortion access and reproductive health care is why states are continuing to push anti-abortion laws through state legislatures, MAGA Republicans in Congress continue to advance an extreme agenda to restrict access to abortion care, and the Administration takes steps to implement Project 2025. As extremist politicians continue to push dangerous anti-abortion policies, we must be clear about the grave implications of this post Roe reality and how it will have a detrimental impact on patients and providers nationwide.” 

If you are interested in speaking with health care providers or patients about their experience living in a post Roe world, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. If you are interested in learning more about the research gathered regarding state-level abortion bans and federal activity, please contact malachi@freeandjust.us. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.