(Oregon Right to Life) — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is reportedly looking into reversing a Biden administration regulation permitting the use of taxpayer dollars to fund abortions for unaccompanied minors who cross the U.S. border.
The Biden administration regulation in question, which was proposed in November, 2022 and took effect in July, 2024, mandated that the Office of Refugee Resettlement “ensure unaccompanied children have access to medical care, including transportation across state lines and associated ancillary services if necessary to access appropriate medical services, including access to medical specialists, family planning services, and medical services requiring heightened ORR involvement,” The Daily Signal reported.
The Daily Signal noted that the rule “formed the basis for the office to provide transportation for a number of minors to receive abortions,” including “out-of-state travel for minors in states where abortion is banned.” The move came in spite of the fact that the Hyde Amendment prohibits the use of federal taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions.
Last month, an HHS official told the Daily Signal the Trump administration was looking into the matter.
“HHS is reviewing the relevant regulations and guidance to ensure they align with all applicable laws, including the Hyde Amendment,” an HHS official said in a statement to The Daily Signal. The official also told the outlet that the Trump administration isn’t presently aware of any funds being used to pay for abortion travel.
The move by the Trump administration’s HHS is the latest in a series of decisions from Washington that have garnered approval from pro-life advocates, especially as they mark clear departures from the actions undertaken during the prior administration with regard to abortion.
In July, President Trump signed a budget reconciliation bill slashing federal dollars to Planned Parenthood for a year. The move is expected to cost the abortion giant millions in revenue and lead to the shuddering of hundreds of abortion facilities.
More recently, the Trump administration’s HHS and FDA have affirmed they are reviewing the safety of the abortion pill mifepristone following a report indicating that its severe adverse event risk was far higher than previously reported. A national poll published late last month found that a vast majority of respondents across the political spectrum are in favor of restoring the regulations on the dangerous abortion pill mifepristone that were eliminated during the Biden administration.
