Latest news with #TexasHumanLifeProtectionActof2021
27-03-2025
State suspends midwife license of Houston-area woman accused of illegally performing abortions
The Brief The state Department of Licensing and Regulation suspended the license of a midwife accused of performing an illegal abortion. The move comes after 49-year-old Maria Margarita Rojas was arrested and charged with performing an illegal abortion and practicing medicine without a license. Rojas operated clinics in Waller, Cypress and Spring. HOUSTON - The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has suspended the license of a Houston-area midwife accused of illegally performing abortions without a medical license. What we know Maria Margarita Rojas' midwife license was suspended through an emergency order by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The agency said the suspension was pending the outcome of the criminal case against Rojas. What they're saying "The accusation that she practiced medicine without a license, including holding herself out as a gynecologist and making terminal medical decisions for pregnant clients, falls outside the scope of practice for midwives in Texas," the agency said in a release. The backstory Rojas, 49, a midwife known as "Dr. Maria" from Cypress, and Jose Cendan Ley, 29, a Cuban citizen living in Houston, were taken into custody and charged with the illegal performance of an abortion and practicing medicine without a license. Waller County District Attorney Sean Whittmore said the Attorney General's Office came to him a few months ago to tell him that they were investigating what they called an "illegal abortion" that happened in Waller. "In this case we're dealing with someone who is not licensed to practice medicine and who allegedly performed an abortion," he said. Investigators with the Attorney General's Office said Rojas owned and operated multiple clinics: Clinica Waller Latinoamericana in Waller, Clinica Latinoamericana Telge in Cypress, and Latinoamericana Medical Clinic in Spring. The facilities allegedly employed unlicensed individuals who posed as medical professionals, according to the AG's Office. Both Rojas and Ley are charged with at least two counts of performing an illegal abortion and practicing medicine without a license. Bond was set at $500,000 for each count of performing an illegal abortion and $200,000 for each count of practicing medicine without a license for each defendant. Providing an illegal abortion is a second-degree felony that comes with a prison sentence of up to 20 years, if convicted. Under the Texas Human Life Protection Act of 2021, abortion providers can receive civil penalties of at least $100,000 per violation. The Healthcare Program Enforcement Division of the Attorney General's Office filed a temporary restraining order to shut down the clinics. The Attorney General's Office is expected to prosecute the case. The Associated Press reports that this is the first time authorities have filed criminal charges under the state's near-total abortion ban. The Source Information in this article comes from a FOX 26 interview with Waller County District Attorney Sean Whittmore, the Office of the Attorney General and Waller County Court records. Information on Rojas' license comes from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
18-03-2025
- Health
Texas midwife arrested for violating state's near-total abortion ban
A Texas midwife has been arrested on accusations of providing illegal abortions, becoming the first person to be criminally charged under the state's near-total abortion ban. Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, is accused of operating at least three clinics in the Houston area, where she provided medical care, including abortions, in direct violation of the Lone Star State's restrictive and controversial laws. Rojas was arrested on March 6 and released on bond the next day, according to Waller County District Attorney Sean Whittmore, who has since referred the case to the state attorney general's office. Rojas is facing a pair of counts in connection with the allegations, including the illegal performance of an abortion and practicing medicine without a license, the former of which is a second-degree felony, the office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced. If convicted, Rojas will serve between two and 20 years in prison and be subject to a fine of $10,000, per state law. However, Paxton's office noted that he has the authority to seek a fine of at least $100,000 'per violation' under the Texas Human Life Protection Act of 2021. Paxton's office said it had also filed a temporary restraining order to close Rojas' clinics. '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.' In 2022, the Supreme Court's conservative majority voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, clearing the way for state-by-state bans and the erasure of a guaranteed reproductive right that had been in place for decades. Since then, there have been few criminal charges issued in connection with the more restrictive regulations, making Rojas one of the first in the nation. Earlier this year, a New York doctor was indicted on charges that she illegally prescribed abortion pills online to a patient in Louisiana. With news Wire Services
18-03-2025
- Health
Texas midwife accused of providing illegal abortions, running clinics
A Texas midwife was arrested on Monday for allegedly providing illegal abortions and unlawfully operating a network of clinics in the Houston area. Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, is now facing criminal charges for practicing medicine without a license and illegally performing an abortion, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. 'Texas law protecting life is clear, and we will hold those who violate it accountable,' Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R ) said in a statement. Under the Texas Human Life Protection Act of 2021, Paxton is also authorized to seek civil penalties of up to $100,000 per violation for the unlawful performance of an abortion. The Lone Star state is one of 12 that has an overarching ban on abortions at all stages of pregnancy. The ban allows for exceptions in the cases of medical emergencies that endanger the mother's life. Texas law holds abortion providers, not patients, criminally responsible for unlawful procedures, according to Paxton's release. A similar case was heard by a Louisiana grand jury in January, leading to the indictment of a New York doctor for allegedly sending abortion medication into the state. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill has pushed for the physician to be extradited, a request that New York officials have rejected. Rojas' case is one of the first to challenge the illegal operation of abortion clinics since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
18-03-2025
- Health
Texas midwife accused of providing illegal abortions, running clinics
A Texas midwife was arrested on Monday for allegedly providing illegal abortions and unlawfully operating a network of clinics in the Houston area. Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, is now facing criminal charges for practicing medicine without a license and illegally performing an abortion, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. 'Texas law protecting life is clear, and we will hold those who violate it accountable,' Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R ) said in a statement. Under the Texas Human Life Protection Act of 2021, Paxton is also authorized to seek civil penalties of up to $100,000 per violation for the unlawful performance of an abortion. The Lone Star state is one of 12 that has an overarching ban on abortions at all stages of pregnancy. The ban allows for exceptions in the cases of medical emergencies that endanger the mother's life. Texas law holds abortion providers, not patients, criminally responsible for unlawful procedures, according to Paxton's release. A similar case was heard by a Louisiana grand jury in January, leading to the indictment of a New York doctor for allegedly sending abortion medication into the state. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill has pushed for the physician to be extradited, a request that New York officials have rejected. Rojas' case is one of the first to challenge the illegal operation of abortion clinics since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
17-03-2025
- Health
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.
