WASHINGTON — The newly appointed leaders of the Justice Department under President Donald Trump announced on Friday a directive aimed at reducing the prosecution of individuals accused of obstructing access to abortion clinics and reproductive health facilities. This move is framed as an instance of the “weaponization” of law enforcement.
Under the new guidelines set forth by Chad Mizelle, chief of staff to the attorney general, prosecutions and civil actions based on the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, commonly referred to as the “FACE Act,” will now only proceed in “extraordinary circumstances” or when there are “significant aggravating factors.” Mizelle instructed the immediate dismissal of three FACE Act-related cases concerning blockades at clinics in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Ohio that occurred in 2021.
This shift marks a significant contrast to the approach taken by the Biden administration, which actively pursued charges against numerous individuals accused of breaching the FACE Act. This legislation forbids not just physical obstruction but also the intimidation or threats aimed at people seeking reproductive health services, alongside prohibiting property damage at these clinics.
The Thomas More Society, a legal organization advocating for many of the accused, hailed the directive as a monumental advancement in the battle against the FACE Act. The group stated, “In each of these three FACE Act cases, our attorneys represented several courageous and peaceful pro-life defendants who can now feel relief without the daunting presence of federal prosecutors.”
This announcement followed shortly after Trump expressed his support for tens of thousands of anti-abortion advocates at the March for Life event, stating in a pre-recorded message, “We will once again stand proudly for families and for life.” Additionally, the previous day, Trump had granted pardons to several anti-abortion activists who were previously convicted for blocking clinic entrances in contravention of the FACE Act.
Mizelle highlighted in his memo, acquired by various media outlets, that “President Donald Trump campaigned on a promise to end the weaponization of the federal government,” and has since urged all federal agencies to address previous unfair uses of law enforcement. He remarked that “prosecutions and civil actions under the FACE Act have been perceived by many as prime examples of this weaponization,” a sentiment he believed was justified.
In Mizelle’s commentary, he referenced an alarming trend, noting that over 100 crisis pregnancy centers, pro-life entities, and churches faced attacks in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. He pointed out that the vast majority of FACE Act prosecutions have targeted anti-abortion demonstrators, arguing that “this is not the fair application of justice.”
Vice President JD Vance, who addressed supporters at the March for Life, praised Trump for the pardons issued to FACE Act defendants and labeled him “the most pro-life American president of our lifetimes.”
In contrast, supporters of abortion rights criticized Trump’s pardons, characterizing them as a blatant disregard for the law and an endorsement of violence against abortion providers. This critique is rooted in the historical context of the FACE Act, enacted in 1994 during a period marked by escalating clinic protests and violent acts—including the assassination of Dr. David Gunn.
Krista Noah, the national director of affiliate security and response planning at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, commented, “Just days into his presidency, Donald Trump has shown a blatant disregard for the law, effectively enabling violence against abortion providers at the risk of individuals seeking to exercise their rights to bodily autonomy and health in a peaceful manner.”
