The Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade.
The decision of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization is a full-scale overhaul of abortion rights in America, undoing and lambasting both Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey—the 1992 case that later upheld the landmark 1973 ruling.
Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the majority opinion, "Any such right must be 'deeply rooted in this Nation's history and tradition,' and 'implicit in the concept of ordered liberty.'" Immediately after, he wrote that abortion does not fall into this category.
Politico originally reported in early May that a leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court indicated that the body would overturn the landmark ruling.
The result isn't entirely surprising. Trump was allowed to appoint three new justices during his tenure, reshaping the court for a 6–3 split as it pertains to more conservatively leaning justices versus liberally leaning appointees. Further, at least two of those justices (Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett) have indicated that Roe v. Wade has been on their radars for some time.
What is noteworthy, however, is the court's reasoning. Though Alito affirmed that the reasoning is specifically for abortion rights, it's hard to imagine it not being leveraged as precedent in the future for crusades against other "new-age" rights.
What the decision means is that abortion will now again become a states' rights issue, putting abortion access at risk for a large percentage of the country. According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, 29 states and five territories are categorized as "not protected" or "hostile." Not protected indicates that while accessible, the right to an abortion is not protected by state law. The majority of those states and territories fall into the hostile category, which means that those states will likely prohibit abortion almost immediately.
Of the hostile states mentioned above, 13 have trigger bans, which means they will immediately outlaw abortion, reversing past bans with little to no state action, as soon as the decision is overturned. Also worth noting: The majority of those hostile states are in the South and Midwest, restricting access for what will likely be hundreds of miles.
There are several ways to help, but the most beneficial in this moment is through donating to an abortion fund. These funds not only help cover medical costs, but also transportation and travel costs for those seeking out abortion access. Funds to support are listed below, by state, in alphabetical order. We have selected the 26 states highlighted as "most likely" to enact a ban, per the Guttmacher Institute.
Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
Arkansas Abortion Support Network
Florida
Broward Women's Emergency Fund
Georgia
Sister Song Birth Justice Care Fund
Idaho
Northwest Abortion Access Fund
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Kentucky Health Justice Network
Kentucky Reproductive Freedom Fund
Louisiana
Michigan
Fountain Street Church Choice Fund
Mississippi
Mississippi Reproductive Freedom Fund
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
North Dakota
North Dakota Abortion Access Fund
Ohio
Oklahoma
South Carolina
South Dakota
South Dakota Access for Every Woman
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Utah Reproductive Freedom Fund
West Virginia
West Virginia FREE Choice Fund
Wisconsin
Women's Medical Fund
Wyoming
From: Esquire US