Illinois governor blasts Texas abortion law: ‘Shame on’ lawmakers

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) on Thursday slammed Texas’s new controversial abortion law, saying “shame on” state lawmakers and welcoming women from other states to receive reproductive health care in his state.

On Wednesday, a Texas bill banning abortions after a heartbeat is detected went into effect following a Supreme Court decision not to block it.

“Shame on those Texas lawmakers for taking away, not just women’s rights, but women’s health,” Pritzker said of the move during a news conference, according to The Associated Press. “Banning abortion does not keep women safe.”

Pritzker, who signed legislation in 2019 protecting abortion rights in Illinois, added that he hopes his state can be a “beacon of hope for women,” the news outlet noted.

“I am very concerned and focused on making sure that here in Illinois we are a beacon of hope for women who need reproductive health, and we’re seeing that people in states like Missouri have had to come across the border in order to just protect their own rights to see a doctor for goodness sakes,” Pritzker said.

On Friday, President Biden blasted Texas’s abortion law as “almost un-American” and said that the Justice Department is seeking to protect access to abortion.

“It just seems, I know this sounds ridiculous, almost un-American, what we’re talking about. Not to debate about — I respect people who think, who don’t support Roe v. Wade. I respect their views. I respect those who believe life begins at the moment of conception and all. I respect that. Don’t agree, but I respect that. Not going to impose that on people,” he said at the time.