Trump Pardons 23 Pro-Life Activists Targeted Under Biden Administration
President Donald Trump has officially granted pardons to 23 pro-life activists who were convicted under the Biden administration for their participation in protests outside abortion clinics. The move fulfills Trump’s campaign pledge to free those he described as victims of political persecution.
Speaking at the White House, Trump called the prosecutions “ridiculous” and stated that the activists were unjustly punished for exercising their First Amendment rights. “They should not have been prosecuted,” he said. The announcement comes just ahead of the March for Life event in Washington, D.C., an annual gathering of pro-life supporters.
Among those receiving pardons is Lauren Handy, who was sentenced to prison following demonstrations at a Washington, D.C. clinic. Authorities had found fetal remains in her home, which she claimed were collected for proper burial. Another activist, Paulette Harlow, 75, was also granted clemency after receiving a lengthy sentence under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.
The Thomas More Society, a legal organization representing many of the activists, submitted clemency requests earlier this month, arguing that their clients had been unfairly targeted by the Biden administration. The group praised Trump’s actions, calling them a step toward justice for peaceful demonstrators.
Republicans in Congress have also taken steps to challenge the FACE Act, with Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) introducing legislation to repeal the law. They argue that the Biden administration weaponized it to silence pro-life advocacy while ignoring attacks on churches and pregnancy centers.
Trump’s pardons provide relief for those activists still serving time and signal his commitment to defending pro-life Americans from what he described as a “radical abortion agenda” enforced by the Biden administration.
