Texas Midwife Arrested for Allegedly Providing Abortion After State's Near-Total Ban

Texas’ attorney general announced that the state is charging a Houston-area midwife accused of performing an abortion, which is largely illegal in the state.

Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, a midwife known as Dr. Maria, was arrested in Waller County, Texas, and charged with illegal performance of an abortion and practicing medicine without a license, according to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

“In Texas, life is sacred,” Paxton said. “I will always do everything in my power to protect the unborn, defend our state’s pro-life laws, and work to ensure that unlicensed individuals endangering the lives of women by performing illegal abortions are fully prosecuted.”

According to The Washington Post, the arrest marks the first time charges have been filed under the state’s new law against abortions.

Paxton alleged that Rojas operated multiple clinics that provided abortions, which are illegal in Texas, unless the mother has a life-threatening condition or could face a serious health issue.

The attorney general’s office said that in the state, providers are held legally responsible for abortions rather than patients.

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Rojas is also accused of employing unlicensed people who allegedly presented themselves as licensed medical providers.

It is not immediately clear if Rojas has retained an attorney or entered a plea in connection with the charges.

Texas abortion providers could also face a civil penalty of at least $100,000, under a 2021 state law.