After
the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the Mississippi abortion case, abortion
rights advocates across New Jersey are now planning “a modern Underground
Railroad” for people from outside the state to get
a safe
abortion.
“It's
really not an understatement to say this will throw the United States into the
Dark Ages and absolutely undo our progress as a developed nation. I
don't think we can call ourselves a developed nation if we roll back abortion
care,” said S. Nadia Hussain, of Moms Rising.
Dr. Krysten
Brandi, of Rutgers Medical School, says New Jersey should expect an influx of
patients. That has her concerned.
“Our
health care system after COVID has been really strapped thin,” she says. “I'm
really worried about the influx of patients and how that will overload the
health care system here.”
Gov.
Phil Murphy vowed during a news conference on Friday to use New Jersey's strong
state laws codifying reproductive freedom to make the state a sanctuary for
women seeking abortions.
Hussain
says protections in New Jersey are only as strong as legislators in Trenton
want them to be. A bill promoted by the governor but stalled in the Legislature
would put $20 million into a reproductive access fund – but that money
would go toward training and security at clinics, unlike New York
Gov. Kathy Hochul who has proposed paying for travel and hotel rooms for out-of-state
women seeking abortions.
She
says some Republicans in Trenton, like Sen. Edward Durr, would be happy to roll
back abortion rights if they are in power.
“We
might feel safe now, but it's only a matter of time,” said
Hussain.