Thursday, July 14, 2022

Michigan Governor Will Refuse To Extradite For Abortion Charges

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer yesterday signed an Executive Order (full text) which provides in part:
1. The Office of the Governor will decline to assist with or effectuate the extradition of persons to or from Michigan when the charged criminal conduct is the provision of, receipt of, securing of, or assistance with reproductive health-care services, including abortion.

2. Consistent with the requirements of Article IV, Section 2, Clause 2 of the U.S Constitution, paragraph 1 does not apply when the person who is the subject of the request for arrest or surrender was physically present in the requesting state at the time of the commission of the alleged offense and thereafter fled from that state.

A press release from the Governor's office explains the motivation for the Executive Order:

Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order refusing to extradite women who come to Michigan seeking reproductive health care. It also protects providers of legal abortion in Michigan, who will not have to fear being extradited for prosecution in another state for offering reproductive health care.

Currently, there are laws and legislative proposals across the country supported by the GOP that would make it felony for a woman to seek abortion care, and for a doctor to provide it.... Proposals also exist to punish a woman who decides to cross state lines to obtain an abortion.