The long arm of the law : abortion access for unaccompanied minors

Abstract

In part one of this report, I use the ongoing legal case Garza v. Hargan as a framework for the discussion and analysis of laws and policies that govern abortion access for unaccompanied female minors in the United States. I give particular attention to the Office of Refugee Resettlement [ORR]’s history with faith-based NGOs, the evolution of abortion law as it pertains to this population and an analogous population (incarcerated women), and the more extreme measures taken by anti-abortion advocates and policymakers. I conclude with a consideration of the impact of ad-hoc policymaking, a reflection on the implications of the recent Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges, a detailed analysis of ORR’s current policies (their flaws and possible solutions) and a broader call to action. In part two, I include a functional document written in collaboration with an interested organization, to help certain interested parties quickly become educated about this issue and the Garza case, enabling them to engage in practical work from a well-informed foundation