How to Stop An ‘Abortion Trafficking’ Ordinance

Texas activists speak out

The Amarillo Reproductive Freedom Alliance is a coalition of individuals, businesses, and organizations working to protect reproductive freedom in the Texas Panhandle.

This all started in July 2023, when we all gathered in a church in Amarillo, Texas to attend a two-hour presentation about the anti-abortion ordinance coming into our community. Now known as Proposition A, the “Sanctuary City for the Unborn” (SCTFU) ordinance claimed to “close loopholes.” In reality, it would punish those who help pregnant people seek care outside of Texas. Texas’ abortion ban, SB8, already allows for vigilante lawsuits; these ordinances impose yet another option for those seeking to punish patients and the people who help them. 

That’s when the Amarillo Reproductive Freedom Alliance (ARFA) formed. Our work started with six women from different backgrounds—friends and acquaintances, united by past activism and community work. Once we learned about this ordinance, we knew we had to take a stand.

What makes this ordinance particularly dangerous is its deceptive nature. Marketed as a straightforward “pro-life” measure, it hides behind 18 pages of complex legal jargon. It goes beyond banning abortion—empowering private citizens to sue anyone who “aids or abets” an abortion, with bounties of $10,000 per violation. Evidence is not needed to start a suit, and a person can be sued multiple times for the same allegations. These allegations can include transporting, housing, funding, organizing, or even just providing information to someone seeking an abortion. The potential for abuse is staggering, and the ordinance is an assault on privacy, community, and medical care.

The key person behind these ordinances (who isn’t worth naming) has a long track record of pushing extreme local ordinances. He’s the boots on the ground for the "Sanctuary City for the Unborn" movement, and his work to restrict abortion access has impacted over fifty towns across Texas and beyond. He’s supported by some of the most powerful and well-known anti-abortion activists and groups in the country.

By contrast, our organization is hyperlocal, nonpartisan, and completely volunteer-run. We are Amarillo residents—multigenerational, ethnically diverse, and united by a belief in privacy and bodily autonomy. We believe everyone should have the freedom to make personal medical decisions without government interference. ARFA represents a broad coalition, including allies from across political and religious lines. We welcome all folks who are committed to those principles to join us in this fight.

The path hasn’t been easy. Initially, our small group attended every City Council meeting, often as the lone voices in the room. Over time, our numbers grew, and by fall 2023, we had hundreds of supporters. We built relationships with the mayor and council members, educating them and the public about the dangers of this ordinance. Through our efforts, the ordinance was voted down 4-1 by our all male, Republican city council in May 2024.

But the anti-abortion movement wasn’t done yet: Using misinformation, they collected enough petition signatures to put the fate of the ordinance in the hands of Amarillo voters. Our efforts have garnered attention locally, nationally, and internationally, and we’ve been humbled by the support we’ve received.

The implications of this vote are far-reaching. If Amarillo becomes a "Sanctuary City for the Unborn," it will set a dangerous precedent for other Texas cities and could fuel a statewide or even nationwide ban on abortion travel. This isn’t just a local battle; it’s part of a larger national assault on abortion access.

Amarillo is home to federal Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who presided over the mifepristone case, and the legal architect of this ordinance is Jonathan Mitchell, a lawyer on that Supreme Court case and creator of Texas’ SB8 law. In other words, Amarillo is a key battleground in a much larger anti-abortion agenda. 

These measures are not about being pro-life; they are about control, fear, and dividing communities. We are particularly alarmed at how this ordinance will impact our communities of color, and our refugee and undocumented neighbors. Despite the optics of being a white, conservative stronghold, Amarillo is a very diverse place.

One of the hardest challenges we’ve faced is countering misinformation. Proponents of the ordinance, like the Project Destiny Amarillo PAC, have framed our city as a hub for “abortion trafficking”—a baseless claim meant to scare the public. They even argue that the "unborn child" is being trafficked, ignoring the pregnant person’s sovereignty in their decision making. 

Like many of the rest of the heinous, extreme abortion bans across the country, these ordinances also provide no exceptions for rape or incest. And while there are “exceptions” for medical emergencies, we know that fear of legal repercussions keeps doctors and nurses from being able to provide essential care. We have seen this devastating situation unfold again and again in Texas, highlighted by the cases of Amanda Zurawski, Kate Cox, Lauren Miller and others. The Texas panhandle is already a maternal healthcare desert, and this type of ordinance will only do further damage in recruiting and retaining providers for our region. 

This ordinance seeks to once again advance extremist beliefs to control and punish others, with the wellbeing of the pregnant person and those who support them as acceptable collateral damage. We will do everything we can to fight against it and get it out of our community. 

In the final stretch leading to the election on November 5th, ARFA will ramp up efforts to educate and mobilize voters. We’ll continue block walking, phone banking, taking interviews and sharing information on social media and through email. Our goal is to ensure every voter understands the full scope of this ordinance before casting their ballot. We need continued support through donations, and our volunteers remain the cornerstone of our grassroots efforts. 

We will keep informing our community about access to abortion care through the incredible state and national organizations committed to providing options to those of us in states with extreme abortion bans. Regardless of what happens at the ballot, we will always take care of one another.

To learn more and support our work, visit our site here. We are deeply grateful to Jessica Valenti and the AED Team for the opportunity to share our story and for their tireless work informing the public about abortion every day.