The City of Waskom has become the first city in Texas to declare itself a “sanctuary city for the unborn.”

The ordinance was approved unanimously at a city council meeting Tuesday night before a packed house.

The ordinance declares Roe vs. Wade and other laws permitting abortion “to be unconstitutional usurpations of judicial power, which violate both the Tenth Amendment the Republican Form of Government Clause, and are null and void in the City of Waskom.”

Mark Lee Dickson, director of the anti-abortion group East Texas Right to Life, said the declaration was a response to Louisiana’s passage of a so-called “fetal heartbeat bill” banning abortion once a fetus’ heartbeat is detected.

Should that bill shut down abortion clinics in Louisiana, Dickson said, he doesn’t want any to open in Waskom.

“We decided to take things into our own hands and that we have got to do something to protect our cities and to protect the unborn children,” Dickson said.

Before the council unanimously passed the ordinance, the mayor warned citizens they will face a lawsuit which the city cannot afford if they lose. 

The city attorney also warned that such an ordinance is unconstitutional.

Those behind the declaration say it’s all in an effort to make it to the Supreme Court in a challenge to Roe vs. Wade and win.

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