Supreme Court Reverses Roe v. Wade -- Support the ACLU to Defend Our Fundamental Rights

On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a shameful ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, the nearly 50-year-old landmark decision recognizing the federal constitutional right to abortion. The ruling in the case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, will allow anti-abortion politicians in states across the country to ban abortion and force millions of people to remain pregnant and have children against their will.

This decision revokes the federal constitutional right to abortion, and with it our agency over our lives and futures. This is an outrageous attack on women’s rights and the bodily autonomy of everyone who can become pregnant, and the effects will be immediate and far-reaching.

Regardless of this horrendous decision, abortion is still our right. We all deserve the power to control our bodies, lives, and futures. Abortion is also health care. Getting access should not depend on where we live, how much money we make, or who we are.

What comes next for abortion rights?

Abortion may be banned in nearly half of the country, affecting more than 36 million people.

This will have an immediate and devastating impact on both public health and personal freedom. Banning abortion does not eliminate the need for this kind of care – rather it will force people to seek abortion outside of the health care system. No one should be forced to carry a pregnancy against their will and face the life-altering consequences of being denied essential health care.

This unprecedented attack on essential care on abortion access disproportionately harms the same people who have always faced systemic barriers to care – communities of color, the LGBTQ+ community, undocumented immigrants, young people, those living in rural communities, people with disabilities, and people with low incomes.

What Is the ACLU Doing to Respond?

The ACLU has an office in every state. Our lawyers, lobbyists, and organizers have been preparing for this moment. In the short-term, we will mitigate the damage and protect abortion access wherever we can, and generate an outcry in opposition to the ruling.The ACLU is leveraging every part of the organization to respond to this unprecedented moment:

Litigation: We will file cases in as many states as possible in an attempt to preserve as much abortion access as we can – for as long as possible.

Education/communication: We are sharing information in real-time both through traditional and social media to educate the public and media about what the Supreme Court ruling actually means—both legally and in terms of human impact.

Mobilization: We will mobilize the ACLU’s (and the ACLU affiliates’) millions of members, activists, and supporters to continue voicing their opposition to this ruling.

Advising clinics: We will continue to advise clinics, abortion providers, and other organizations that provide support to people seeking abortion care in both hostile and haven states.

Federal administrative advocacy: We will urge the Biden administration to use its bully pulpit to quickly prioritize the administration’s federal response to the ensuing abortion crisis.

State legislation: We are working closely with ACLU affiliates across the country to ensure that we can pass laws and ballot initiatives protecting abortion access, and strongly opposing any further restrictions.

Sign up for alerts from the ACLU by texting FIGHTBACK to 826-23 for more actions and updates on the crucial work ahead. The majority of Americans overwhelmingly support the right to control one's own body and future. The ACLU is in the courts, legislatures, and the streets, and we need all of you to join us.