Alabama can't prosecute people who help women leave the state for abortions, Justice Department says

[Demovictory9]

https://apnews.com/article/alabama-abortion-justice-department-2fbde5d85a907d266de6fd34542139e2


Alabama can’t prosecute people who help women leave the state for abortions, Justice Department says

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday said Alabama cannot use conspiracy laws to prosecute people and groups who help women leave the state to obtain abortions.

The Justice Department filed a statement of its position in consolidated lawsuits against Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, arguing that such prosecutions would be unconstitutional. The lawsuits, filed by an abortion fund and former providers, seek a court ruling clarifying the state can’t use conspiracy statutes to prosecute people who help Alabama women travel elsewhere to obtain an abortion. Marshall has not prosecuted anyone for providing such assistance, but he has made statements saying that his office would “look at” groups that provide abortion help.

The Justice Department argued in the filing that the U.S. Constitution protects the right to travel. The department said that just as Marshall cannot stop women from crossing state lines to obtain a legal abortion, “neither can he seek to achieve the same result by threatening to prosecute anyone who assists that individual in their travel.”

[Duppers]

1. YES!!!!

Hell, yes!

[Hekate]

2. KnR

[Skittles]

3. the Justice Department is against fascism

[Iris]

4. Unbelievable that this needs to be said at all

[Aristus]

5. Poor diseased, empty-headed Alabama.

They lost their free workforce, and the ability to control how people come and go. They've never been the same since. Alabama is like a heroin addict, endlessly, fruitlessly searching for the power and intensity of that very first high.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

6. The right to travel between the states is a fundamental right

[lindysalsagal]

12. Let's tell men they can't travel between states.

For sex, viagra, prostate treatments, strip clubs, romances, casinos, racetracks....go ahead and try.

[speak easy]

14. um ... a minor crossing State lines to have sex?

[LiberalFighter]

7. I would like to see people help this woman to leave the state permanently.

idiot Governor Kay Ivey

[Grins]

8. "Curses!!!!" The War on Women" has to pause...

…but not stop. It will begin again as soon as the Reich-wing terrorists regroup.

[Farmer-Rick]

9. It's called liberty and is in the US Constitution

Back when the colonists were ruled by a British King, people could not leave or travel without the approval or permission of the King. Of course the King couldn't be everywhere to keep an eye on who is traveling where, so he delegated that authority to Lords, governors, police or the military.

If you traveled without permission, you could be hunted down and punished. Of course by the time the colonies were becoming populated by Europeans, the permission and approval to travel was a bit less regulated and more formalized. We still have a form of it today in visas and passports.

How do you think Lords could sell vast track of farmlands, or the King reward Lords with lands, if the farmers and serfs on those lands just got up and left? Who would farm the land if everyone could come and go at liberty?

It is in the preamble to the US Constitution. "and secure the Blessings of Liberty." And it is the basis of the 14th amendment.

But I'm sure the Supremes can overlook the reality of the US Constitution in favor of punishing and controlling women.

[calimary]

10. GOOD!

Gotta admit it’s shocking to me - to witness just how powerful and overarching is the Republican/CONservative desire to dominate women.

Just what is it? Envy maybe? That women can create life and men can only fuck it?

[AllaN01Bear]

11. ding.

50 years of this and we are still talking about it. gah. should have been a decision between a woman and her dr. id use the heppa act. good on doj

[Kath2]

13. Ridiculous that the Justice Department has to say this.

Prosecution for fleeing the state to obtain healthcare/abortion? Sad to see that, in 2023, the war on women continues in full force. But I do commend the Justice Department for clarifying this for all the sexist bigots.