Texas sheriff says he ‘will not persecute’ those seeking an abortion

Erum Salam
·2 min read
<span>Photograph: Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP/Getty Images</span>
Photograph: Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP/Getty Images

A Texas sheriff, whose beat largely includes the city of San Antonio, has declared he would not be pursuing those in his jurisdiction who choose to get an abortion after the supreme court scrapping of federal abortion rights.

In a Facebook post he shared on Tuesday, Bexar county sheriff Javier Salazar wrote of his “two beautiful and intelligent” daughters, whom he said have a right to choose what to do with their own bodies.

Related: Texas judge temporarily blocks state ban on abortions up to six weeks

“As their Dad, I have no control over their adult bodies. As their sheriff, it is absolutely none of my business. I will not persecute Texas women or anyone else pursuing those same rights,” Salazar stated.

He added: “Shame on the supreme court and the bureaucrats in Washington DC and Austin who are attempting to impose their own supposed morals on others. They will not use my badge or the color of my office to do so. My job is chasing predators, rapists, and human traffickers, not someone exercising a right.”

“If it’s religion those career politicians would like to enforce, then they should remember that there are many other commandments in scripture that they themselves have very publicly chosen to ignore.”

Texas attorney general Ken Paxton was quick to react to last week’s ruling to overturn Roe vs Wade, which gave people the constitutional right to an abortion. The prominent Republican invoked his state’s trigger law, which immediately reverted Texas to outright banning abortions.

“Under these pre-Roe statutes, abortion providers could be criminally liable for providing abortions starting today,” Paxton said.

Salazar had one final message for the state’s “career politicians” in a state that has also borne witness to a terrible recent school shooting. “If it’s truly about protecting children, how about starting with the ones in our schools?”

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