Latest news with #ClinicaWallerLatinoamericana
Axios
19-03-2025
- Axios
Houston-area midwife, assistant accused of illegally performing abortions
A Houston-area midwife and her medical assistant are accused of illegally performing abortions, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said this week. The big picture: The case is believed to be one of the first in which a health care provider was arrested on suspicion of violating Texas' abortion ban since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The end of Roe allowed the state's ban — already on the books — to take effect. Driving the news: Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, is accused of illegally operating a network of clinics in the Houston area, including one in Waller County, Paxton said in a statement. Paxton said Rojas is facing charges of performance of an abortion, a second-degree felony, and practicing medicine without a license, a third-degree felony. José Manuel Cendan Ley, 29, is facing the same charges and is accused of assisting her in at least one abortion. Zoom in: Paxton's office said Rojas ran Clinica Waller Latinoamericana where she performed at least one illegal abortion. The case was initially investigated by Waller County prosecutors but is now in the hands of an AG's office prosecutor, DA Sean Whittmore said in a statement to Axios. Rojas has been a licensed midwife in Texas since 2018, per state records. Midwives provide maternal care such as checkups and screenings and are trained to deliver babies. They also provide post-partum care. What they're saying: Paxton said in a statement he "will always do everything in my power to protect the unborn, defend our state's pro-life laws, and work to ensure that unlicensed individuals endangering the lives of women by performing illegal abortions are fully prosecuted." He added: "Texas law protecting life is clear, and we will hold those who violate it accountable." The other side: Holly Shearman, clinical director of Tomball Birth Center, where Rojas worked part-time, told Texas Tribune she was "shocked" by the arrest. "I don't believe it for one second," she said of the allegations against Rojas, whom she described as a skilled midwife and devout Catholic. "I've known her for eight years and I've never heard her talk about anything like that." Representatives at the clinics Rojas works at did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment. She does not yet have a defense attorney, per court records. Zoom out: Paxton sued a New York doctor last December for sending abortion medication to Texas. The doctor, Margaret Daley Carpenter, was later indicted in Louisiana, but N.Y. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) rejected an extradition request due to the Empire State's shield laws. Flashback: Texas' abortion law, the strictest state measure when it went into effect on Sept. 1, 2021, banned the procedure after a fetal heartbeat could be detected, around five or six weeks.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Midwife Is First Person Charged With Violating Texas' Extreme Abortion Ban
A Houston-area midwife is the first person to be charged in Texas with violating the state's extreme abortion ban, which outlaws the procedure under nearly all circumstances. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office announced the arrest of Maria Margarita Rojas on Tuesday, saying an investigation found she has been 'providing illegal abortions and illegally operating a network of clinics in the Northwest Houston area.' Rojas, who Paxton said went by Dr. Maria, was charged with the illegal performance of an abortion and practicing medicine without a license. The former is a second-degree felony in Texas and is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. 'In Texas, life is sacred,' Paxton said in a statement. 'I will always do everything in my power to protect the unborn, defend our state's pro-life laws, and work to ensure that unlicensed individuals endangering the lives of women by performing illegal abortions are fully prosecuted. Texas law protecting life is clear, and we will hold those who violate it accountable.' An investigation found that Rojas owned and operated multiple clinics, including Clinica Waller Latinoamericana in Waller, Clinica Latinoamericana Telge in Cypress and Latinoamericana Medical Clinic in Spring. At these clinics, Paxton's office alleges, Rojas performed illegal abortions and employed 'unlicensed individuals who falsely presented themselves as licensed medical professionals to provide medical treatment.' Paxton's office did not share any details about possible poor health outcomes at any of Rojas' clinics. Phone calls to the three locations were not answered Monday. Rojas, who is listed as a licensed midwife by the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation, has not spoken out publicly, either directly or through legal counsel. Holly Shearman of Tomball Birth Center told the Texas Tribune that Rojas worked part-time there providing prenatal care. She described Rojas as a devout Catholic and skilled midwife whose clinics largely served Spanish-speaking, low-income patients. 'I don't believe it for one second,' Shearman told the Tribune about the allegations. 'I've known her for eight years and I've never heard her talk about anything like that. I just can't picture Maria being involved in something like this.' Reproductive rights advocates have long warned that extreme abortion bans like the one in Texas ― which only allows abortion to save the life or health of the mother ― do not lead to fewer abortions, but rather to less safe ones. 'Banning abortion doesn't stop abortion; it just forces people to turn to illegal and sometimes unsafe methods and increases the inequality between the haves and have-nots, with a particularly devastating impact on people of color,' Planned Parenthood notes in its abortion fact sheet. 'We're Sitting Ducks': Abortion Providers Brace For Violence After Trump Limits Clinic Protections Texas Judge Fines New York Doctor For Prescribing Abortion Pills To A Woman Near Dallas Why RFK Jr.'s Promise On Medication Abortion Matters More Than You Think
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Houston area midwife charged with performing illegal abortions amid Texas' near-total ban
A licensed midwife from the Houston area has been charged with illegally performing an abortion and illegally operating a network of abortion clinics, the Texas Attorney General's office announced Monday. Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, was taken into custody in Waller County and has also been charged with practicing medicine without a license. Waller County District Attorney Sean Whittmore referred the case to the attorney general's office for prosecution. The state agency has limited prosecutorial responsibilities but Texas law allows local authorities to request assistance from the attorney general. It was the first arrest since Texas' strict abortion law took effect after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in 2022. Paxton, who supports Texas' near-total ban on abortions, said his office has conducted an "extensive investigation" into the clinics allegedly operated by Rojas. More: Texas GOP senator files bill to clarify abortion ban, expand protections in emergencies "I will always do everything in my power to protect the unborn, defend our state's pro-life laws, and work to ensure that unlicensed individuals endangering the lives of women by performing illegal abortions are fully prosecuted,' Paxton said in a news release. 'Texas law protecting life is clear, and we will hold those who violate it accountable.' According to the Texas Department Licensing and Regulation, Rojas has been a licensed midwife since July 2018 and the license remains valid until February 2026. According to the investigation by Paxton's office, Rojas operates several clinics under the names of Clinica Waller Latinoamericana in Waller, Clinica Latinoamericana Telge in Cypress, and Latinoamericana Medical Clinic in Spring. The news release said the clinics "unlawfully employed unlicensed individuals who falsely presented themselves as licensed medical professionals to provide medical treatment." Rojas is the first person arrested under Texas' House Bill 1280, the 2021 state trigger law that prohibited all but lifesaving abortions after the U.S. Supreme Court in July 2022 reversed Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that had guaranteed a national right to an abortion. The law, which became active post-Roe, carries penalties for doctors including the loss of their medical license, fines of no less than $100,000 and sentences of up to life in prison. The law also gives the attorney general the authority to seek civil penalties of at least $100,000 per violation for the unlawful performing an abortion. More: 'Confused and frightened': Texas Medical Board guidance on abortion ban exceptions unveiled Texas Republicans are gearing up to continue to crack down on abortion with new legislation this year. House and Senate GOP lawmakers on Friday filed a bill to let Texans sue organizations that mail abortion-inducing drugs into the state, SB 2880, which would also make it a crime to pay for a Texas woman's "elective abortion." The law would "appl(y) extraterritorially to the maximum extent permitted by the Texas Constitution or federal law." The state Senate has also made it a priority this year to ban taxpayer funded abortion travel. Rojas' arrest escalates the Republican attorney general's campaign against abortion months after he filed the first lawsuit against an out-of-state abortion pill provider, New York doctor Maggie Carpenter, in December. Paxton has also sued Austin and San Antonio for allocating taxpayer dollars for abortion travel, and in December 2023 he successfully blocked Kate Cox, a mother of two in Dallas, from legally terminating her pregnancy. Cox's baby had been diagnosed with Trisomy 18 and had 'virtually no chance' of survival, as per an OB-GYN, but the Texas Supreme Court found that the case had not clearly fallen under the abortion ban's exception to protect the life of the pregnant patient. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Houston midwife arrested, charged with violating Texas abortion ban
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Midwife is arrested for performing abortions in Texas, AG announces
A Texas midwife has been arrested for owning and operating a network of illegal abortion clinics in the northeast Houston area. Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, was charged with the illegal performance of an abortion, a second-degree felony in Texas, the state attorney general announced on Monday. Rojas, a midwife known as 'Dr. Maria,' was taken into custody in Waller County. She is also charged with practicing medicine without a license. An investigation by Attorney General Ken Paxton's law enforcement division revealed that Rojas owned and operated multiple clinics under the names Clinica Waller Latinoamericana in Waller, Clinica Latinoamericana Telge in Cypress, and Latinoamericana Medical Clinic in Spring. The facilities allegedly employed unlicensed individuals who 'falsely presented themselves as licensed medical professionals' in order to provide medical treatment, investigators said. Rojas herself also performed illegal abortion procedures in her clinics in direct violation of the Texas Human Life Protection Act, the AG's office said. In addition to the arrest, Paxton has filed for a temporary restraining order to shut down Rojas's network of clinics to prevent further illegal activity, he added. 'In Texas, life is sacred. I will always do everything in my power to protect the unborn, defend our state's pro-life laws, and work to ensure that unlicensed individuals endangering the lives of women by performing illegal abortions are fully prosecuted,' Paxton said in a statement. 'Texas law protecting life is clear, and we will hold those who violate it accountable.' Under the Texas Human Life Protection Act of 2021, abortion providers can receive civil penalties of at least $100,000 per violation. Online court records reflect the date of Rojas' offense as March 5, 2025. She was booked into jail on March 6 and was released on $10,000 bond on March 7, according to Waller County records.
The Independent
17-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Midwife is arrested for performing abortions across Texas, AG announces
A Texas woman has been arrested for owning and operating a network of illegal abortion clinics in the northeast Houston area. Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, was charged with the illegal performance of an abortion, a second-degree felony in Texas, the state attorney general announced on Monday. Rojas, a midwife known as 'Dr. Maria,' was taken into custody in Waller County. She is also charged with practicing medicine without a license. An investigation by Attorney General Ken Paxton 's law enforcement division revealed that Rojas owned and operated multiple clinics under the names Clinica Waller Latinoamericana in Waller, Clinica Latinoamericana Telge in Cypress, and Latinoamericana Medical Clinic in Spring. The facilities allegedly employed unlicensed individuals who 'falsely presented themselves as licensed medical professionals' in order to provide medical treatment. Rojas herself also performed illegal abortion procedures in her clinics in direct violation of the Texas Human Life Protection Act, the AG's office said. In addition to the arrest, Paxton has filed for a temporary restraining order to shut down Rojas's network of clinics to prevent further illegal activity. 'In Texas, life is sacred. I will always do everything in my power to protect the unborn, defend our state's pro-life laws, and work to ensure that unlicensed individuals endangering the lives of women by performing illegal abortions are fully prosecuted,' Paxton said in a statement. 'Texas law protecting life is clear, and we will hold those who violate it accountable.' Under the Texas Human Life Protection Act of 2021, abortion providers can receive civil penalties of at least $100,000 per violation. Online court records reflect the date of Rojas' offense as March 5, 2025. She was booked into jail on March 6 and was released on $10,000 bond on March 7, according to Waller County records.
