FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 12, 2021
Contact: Nikki Metzgar, nmetzgar@napawf.org

(WASHINGTON)—On Tuesday, the Supreme Court granted a Trump administration request to reinstate an FDA rule requiring people to go in person to a clinic, hospital, or medical office to get medication abortion care. A nationwide injunction had previously allowed patients to receive mifepristone via mail during the pandemic. The pill does not need to be taken in the presence of a health care provider and similar rules for other drugs have been suspended during the public health emergency. 

This is the Supreme Court’s first ruling on abortion since the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum opposed due to her track record of harming the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, pregnant people, immigrants, and more. 

Sung Yeon Choimorrow, Executive Director of National Asian Pacific Women’s Forum, released the following statement:

“Asian American and Pacific Islander women and other women of color are disproportionately harmed by restrictions on abortion, just as we have disproportionately suffered the health and economic effects of COVID-19. The Court’s decision to single out safe and effective abortion care for restrictions with no medical benefit has a direct cost to the AAPI community. Trump’s determination to pack judicial benches with ideological allies is having immediate negative consequences on our lives and our wellbeing. 

We hope that the Biden administration will move swiftly to lift these outdated restrictions permanently and expand access to this essential health care. People should be able to get the care and information they need to have an abortion on their own terms, whether that is at a clinic or in their home, and without fear of punishment.”

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The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) is the only multi-issue, progressive, community organizing and policy advocacy organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women and girls in the U.S. NAPAWF’s mission is to build collective power so that all AAPI women and girls can have full agency over our lives, our families, and our communities.