Vice President Harris will hold meeting with Latina state legislators to discuss reproductive rights
For Immediate Release: Aug. 5, 2022
WASHINGTON DC — Today, Vice President Harris will hold a meeting with Latina state legislators from Arizona, Kansas, Illinois, Nevada, New York, Texas, and Utah to discuss strengthening and protecting reproductive rights, including abortion, in their states.
Abortion bans and restrictions always disproportionately affect Latino, Black and Indigenous communities, especially undocumented Latinos who cannot leave their communities to access care without putting their presence in the United States in jeopardy. Latinos in the United States are disproportionately more likely to lack health care coverage and less likely to have private insurance. They are also more impacted by dangerous policies like the Hyde Amendment and the public charge rule.
Statement from Raquel Cruz-Juárez, Director of Raíz and Latinx Campaigns, Planned Parenthood Action Fund:
"Even before the Supreme Court eliminated the federal constitutional right to abortion, Latinos, as well as Black and Indigenous people, already faced barriers to abortion access and health care in general, because of systemic racism and inequities.
Right now, as advocacy groups had warned, Latino communities are disproportionately affected by the lack of abortion access in their communities, as well as other essential health care. This is for a number of reasons — some are unable to leave their states to access care due to lack of resources, or because their immigration status prevents them from doing so; others are rightfully concerned about the increased risk of being criminalized for seeking medical care.
Today's meeting shows that the Biden-Harris administration understands the realities facing Latino communities on the ground, the intersectional nature of this fight, and the effort Latino-lead organizations and lawmakers are steering to mitigate harm and provide care. We appreciate Vice President Harris's commitment, and look forward to continuing to work with the administration to ensure that all people, no matter who they are or where they are, can access the care they need when they need it."
###
Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The Action Fund engages in educational, advocacy, and limited electoral activity, including grassroots organizing, legislative advocacy, and voter education.