Anti-abortion groups are suing the city of San Antonio over a “Reproductive Justice Fund” passed last month.
The city allocated $500,000 for the support of reproductive health services, possibly including funds for those attempting to get abortions out of state, as part of a wider budget, according to The Texas Tribune.
In a lawsuit obtained by the San Antonio Express-News, the anti-abortion groups, along with other defendants, say they are aiming to “enjoin the city and its officials from providing taxpayer money to any organization that pays for abortion travel or that procures elective abortions for Texas residents.”
“It is a criminal offense to engage in conduct in Texas that ‘procures’ a drug-induced abortion—even when the abortion is performed out of state—so long as the procuring conduct occurs within the state of Texas,” states the lawsuit filed in Bexar County.
“It is also a crime to give money to organizations that violate the state’s abortion laws by ‘procuring’ drug-induced abortions, as any donation aids or abets the criminal activities of those organizations even if it is earmarked for non-abortion purposes,” the lawsuit later continues.
Michael Knuffke, president of the San Antonio Family Association, one of the groups suing the city, called donating money to abortion funds that procure out-of-state abortions for Texas residents a criminal offense.
“We will expose the criminal activities of these organizations and put an end to their violent and murderous acts. Anyone involved with these abortion-trafficking organizations, including their donors, will be prosecuted under state law and sued under the Texas Heartbeat Act,” Knuffke added in a press release.
The Hill has reached out to the mayor and city manager of San Antonio’s offices.
