Austin, Texas, Sep 5, 2017 / 23:04 pm
A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked part of a Texas law that bans dilation-and-evacuation abortions in the second trimester.
"While some pro-lifers may be tempted to despair at today's ruling, this is the first step in a longer and consequential legal battle over this dynamic and historic legislation," Texas Right to Life said in an Aug. 31 statement.
The group said the important question is "whether this type of procedure is something Texas has the right to prohibit," not how it will affect women and the abortion industry, as the plaintiffs' lawyers have said.
The abortion rule in question bars "dismemberment abortions," which use forceps and other instruments to remove the fetus from the womb, the Associated Press reports. Critics of the law say "dismemberment abortion" is not a medical term.