Coalition letter to ORR on Jane Doe and Abortion Policy

The ACLU and more than 100 other organizations signed this letter to express concerns about the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s (ORR’s) mistreatment of and abuse of power over 17-year-old Jane Doe and other young people in its custody. Jane, a young woman from Central America in ORR’s care, was denied access to an abortion and forced to continue a pregnancy against her will for one month, despite having independently secured the necessary resources and legal authorization. ORR’s treatment of Jane was not only shocking in its disregard of her autonomy and dignity – it was also against the law. While Jane was finally able to access the care she needed by going to court, many other young people being held in ORR’s custody may also be denied the ability to get abortion care and coerced and shamed for their decisions. The letter demands the immediate suspension of any existing ORR policies and practices that restricted prompt access to the full range of reproductive health care for Jane and continue to restrict the rights of thousands of other individuals within ORR custody.