President Donald J. Trump

Trump Grants Pardons To 23 Pro-Life Advocates Charged Under FACE Act

President Donald J. Trump
President Donald J. Trump

President Donald J. Trump has issued full and unconditional pardons for 23 pro-life advocates who were prosecuted under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act by the Department of Justice. The move comes after months of advocacy from pro-life groups and legal organizations, including the Thomas More Society, which formally petitioned the Trump administration on behalf of 21 individuals convicted and, in some cases, imprisoned for their activism.

The pardons were granted to individuals who were charged with obstructing access to abortion facilities during peaceful demonstrations.

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The Thomas More Society, a conservative legal group, submitted extensive pardon requests to the White House, arguing that the pro-life advocates were unjustly targeted and deserved clemency. Among those pardoned are Joan Bell, Coleman Boyd, Joel Curry, Jonathan Darnel, Eva Edl, Chester Gallagher, William Goodman, Dennis Green, Lauren Handy, and Paulette Harlow, among others.

“Today, freedom rings in our great nation,” said Steve Crampton, Senior Counsel for the Thomas More Society. “The heroic, peaceful pro-lifers unjustly imprisoned by Biden’s Justice Department will now be freed and able to return home to their families, eat a family meal, and enjoy the freedom that should have never been taken from them in the first place.”

Crampton emphasized that many of the pardoned individuals were branded as felons, losing essential rights such as voting and employment opportunities. He praised President Trump’s action as a “huge step toward restoring justice.”

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Peter Breen, Executive Vice President and Head of Litigation for the Thomas More Society, echoed similar sentiments, calling on Congress to take legislative action to prevent further legal targeting of pro-life advocates.

“Today is a new day for these pardoned pro-life advocates who have suffered FBI raids, federal prosecutions, and severe punishment for peacefully and courageously witnessing for life,” Breen said. “We urge Congress to act swiftly in repealing the FACE Act to ensure the Justice Department can never again weaponize this law to target peaceful pro-lifers with severe charges.”

The FACE Act, signed into law in 1994, prohibits the use of force, threats, or obstruction to interfere with access to reproductive health services, including abortion clinics. Under the Biden administration, the Justice Department ramped up prosecutions under the law, arguing that demonstrators unlawfully blocked access to clinics and engaged in intimidation tactics.

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Pro-life advocates and their legal representatives argue that the Biden administration selectively enforced the law to silence opposition to abortion. Many of those pardoned were accused of organizing peaceful sit-ins and demonstrations near clinics, with some facing years in prison.

President Trump’s decision to pardon the activists aligns with his broader pro-life agenda and his campaign pledge to protect those advocating against abortion.

While the pardons provide immediate relief to the individuals affected, the broader legal and political battles surrounding abortion rights and clinic access are expected to continue. Pro-life groups are now turning their attention to legislative efforts aimed at repealing or amending the FACE Act, while pro-choice advocates vow to push for continued enforcement to protect reproductive healthcare providers.

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