Anti-Abortion Movement Takes Aim at Texas Highways and Byways

Texas hasn’t always paid a ton of attention when it comes to maintaining highways and roads, as evidenced by the D+ we took home for that subject on the state’s 2021 infrastructure report card. But as soon as you add the word “abortion” into the mix, officials here sharpen their focus faster’n’ you can say “dystopian hellscape.”

Republicans have already banned virtually all abortions in the state, but it’s one dead horse that they just refuse to stop beating. Now, some local Lone Star governments are tightening the reins when it comes to interstate travel for Texans with unwanted pregnancies. 

On Monday, Lubbock County commissioners passed a proposal that bars what some activists have dubbed “abortion trafficking” — the transport of someone to a state where they can receive legal care. Amarillo City Council will be mulling a similar measure on Tuesday, according to Reuters.

Charlie Hughes, intake director for the Texas Equal Access Fund, told the Observer that such road-to-abortion-bans are causing confusion.

“It's just another added barrier that people have to go through. It's ridiculous,” she said, later adding: “People have a right to travel — like, for any reason.”

Social media users responded in horror to the news of Lubbock County’s move, which echoed an ordinance passed last month in Cochran County, along the Texas-New Mexico border.

Ah, yes, another shining example of small government, freedom, etc. happening in Texas.

At this rate, it's only going to be easy for white males to travel around, through, and out of the state. #ROEvember https://t.co/Cfzqxv0l8z

— Jennifer Harris (@jwharris) October 23, 2023

Texas has cast itself as a bastion of “personal liberties,” such as carrying a gun without a license. Freedoms not covered in that category include, but are certainly not limited to, the right to receive an abortion.

“Ah, yes, another shining example of small government, freedom, etc. happening in Texas,” one user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote in response to a reporter’s post about the Lubbock County news. “At this rate, it's only going to be easy for white males to travel around, through, and out of the state.”

Since abortion was banned here, some Texans have sought it out in other states where it’s still legal. New Mexico is one of the most popular destinations because of its relative proximity.

“It's just another added barrier that people have to go through. It's ridiculous.” – Charlie Hughes, TEA Fund

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But the Lone Star State and the Land of Enchantment haven’t been the best of friends in recent days thanks to Gov. Greg Abbott’s push to install a razor-wire barrier along our shared border. And now, certain municipal leaders are looking to cut off access to the highways that connect our liberty-lovin’ land to our westerly neighbor.

“Between this BS and Abbott putting razor wire on the goddamn NEW MEXICO border, I keep wondering, ‘When the feds will step in to protect interstate travel?’” one X user wrote re Lubbock County.

Between this BS and Abbott putting razor wire on the goddamn NEW MEXICO border, I keep wondering, "When the feds will step in to protect interstate travel?"

Then I remember who the current President and US Attorney General are and realize, "Oh, that's not happening." https://t.co/X9Pu5zALKp

— Grits for Breakfast (@Grits4Breakfast) October 23, 2023

Reuters reported on Monday that five other Texas jurisdictions previously passed prohibitions on abortion-related transport since June 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, and with it, the constitutional right to an abortion.

A 2021 Texas law touched off a cascade of similar bans across the U.S., whereby private citizens can sue anyone suspected of “aiding and abetting” an abortion. The current so-called anti-trafficking ordinances use that legal mechanism, although no such breaches have yet been reported, according to Reuters.

Big questions arise surrounding the feasibility of preventing pregnant Texans from hitting the road to get an out-of-state abortion. Instead of “stop and frisk,” are police going to direct cars with fertile-looking passengers to pull over for a “pee to flee”?

“Traveling while pregnant is now a crime in @LubbockCounty. This is next-level fear mongering & intimidation,” one X user said of the commissioners’ decision. “Will county deputies will stop cars w/women in them to do a bump check?”

Traveling while pregnant is now a crime in @LubbockCounty. This is next-level fear mongering & intimidation. Will county deputies will stop cars w/women in them to do a bump check? #LubbockLunacy #txlegehttps://t.co/QpVtLPb6vj https://t.co/rEo8N8NrBV

— milfordmom (@milfordmom15) October 23, 2023

The mayor of Llano, which has also considered adopting a highway-to-abortion ban, admitted to The Washington Post that such a measure would essentially serve as added fluff.

“Is it absolutely necessary? No,” the mayor, an ordinance supporter, reportedly said. “Does it make a statement? Yes, it does.”

Yep, you could definitely say that.

All else aside, this much is clear: Anti-abortion advocates are getting creative in their mission of gatekeeping the womb. But abortion rights supporters anticipate that passing travel bans could come back to haunt the self-proclaimed pro-life crowd come 2024.

One prominent abortion rights proponent put it this way when speaking to Reuters: "We're going to make sure that there are political and electoral consequences for this.”