A federal court of appeals reinstated Texas’ restrictive new abortion law Friday. Just one day prior, a lower court judge had issued a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the law, S.B. 8, which bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy—before many women realize they are pregnant—and deputizes private citizens to sue anyone involved in providing one. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, one of the most conservative in the country, issued a temporary administrative stay against the lower court’s preliminary injunction. At least one Texas abortion provider, Whole Women’s Health, had restarted abortion procedures following the lower court’s ruling. The Justice Department has filed suit against Texas to block the law, calling it unconstitutional. The Justice Department is likely to appeal the ruling, setting the stage for a showdown at the Supreme Court.
