New York Attorney General Letitia James says her office is taking legal action to defend the state’s abortion shield law against efforts by Texas officials to enforce their abortion bans beyond state lines.
In a statement and video posted on Instagram, James denounced what she called a “new frontier in the fight for abortion rights,” accusing anti-abortion extremists of targeting providers in states like New York where reproductive freedom is protected.
The move comes after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton attempted to use New York courts to enforce a $113,000 judgment against a New York doctor who provided telehealth abortion care — care that is fully legal in New York. James said her office is now intervening in that lawsuit to ensure New York’s laws remain intact.
“Our shield law exists to protect New Yorkers from out-of-state extremists, and our state will always stand as a safe haven for freedom of choice,” James said.
Passed in 2022, New York’s shield law was designed to safeguard providers and patients from legal actions tied to restrictive abortion laws in other states. James explained that the law was written for precisely this type of case, warning Texas officials not to attempt to impose their abortion bans in New York.
“Do not come for our doctors. Do not come for our providers,” James said. “We will use the full force of the law to protect patients and providers from anti-abortion extremists who would criminalize abortion and deny basic health care.”
The intervention underscores New York’s role as a leading defender of reproductive rights in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
Advocates say the outcome of this case could shape how far conservative states are able to reach in punishing abortion providers across state lines.
