Local governments across the United States are taking matters into their own hands by outlawing abortion within their jurisdictions, and Avery, Texas, has officially become the latest city to declare itself a Sanctuary City for the Unborn.
Avery, Texas Abortion Vote
On September 25, 2025, the Avery City Council voted to outlaw abortion within its city limits, making Avery the 83rd city in the nation and the 66th city in Texas to pass such an ordinance. The ordinance was approved by a vote of 4-0-1 with four in favor, zero opposed, and one abstention. Avery, a small community in East Texas with a population of 462, now joins the growing movement of municipalities standing against abortion.
Red River Republican Chairman Cebron O’Bier, a native of Avery, celebrated the decision with the following statement:
“Tonight is a milestone in Red River County as the Avery City Council approved an ordinance making Avery the second city in the county to become a Sanctuary City for the Unborn. Mayor Alex Ackley and the council recognized the importance of protecting both pregnant women and their unborn children from the violence of abortion. For me, this moment is personal. Avery is my hometown, and seeing our community take this step fills me with gratitude and pride. Tonight, Avery’s name will be remembered in a very special way.”
A Breakdown of the Sanctuary City Ordinance
The Avery Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance includes broad prohibitions designed to prevent abortion and abortion-related activity in and through the city:
Elective Abortions
The ordinance makes it illegal for anyone to perform an elective abortion within the city limits of Avery. This means that no doctor, nurse, or medical facility can legally provide abortion procedures in Avery, ensuring that abortion cannot become a local industry or practice in the community.
Aiding and Abetting Abortions
Beyond banning the procedure itself, the ordinance also prohibits assisting someone in obtaining an abortion. This includes providing financial support, such as paying for an abortion, as well as arranging travel, offering transportation, or covering medical expenses related to the procedure. By addressing these support systems, the ordinance seeks to eliminate indirect means through which abortions might still occur.
Abortion on Avery Residents
The ordinance goes a step further by extending protections to Avery residents even outside of the city. It declares that elective abortions performed on Avery residents are unlawful regardless of where they take place. This means if a resident of Avery seeks an abortion in another city or state, that action still violates Avery’s ordinance.
Abortion Trafficking
The ordinance specifically bans abortion trafficking, which refers to the act of transporting pregnant women through Avery for the purpose of obtaining an abortion elsewhere. By addressing this issue, Avery ensures its roads and community cannot be used as a route for abortion-related travel.
Abortion-inducing Drugs
The mailing or shipping of abortion-inducing drugs, such as mifepristone and misoprostol, into Avery is strictly prohibited. These drugs are commonly used in chemical abortions, and by banning their delivery, the ordinance blocks another major avenue through which abortions might otherwise occur in the city.
Criminal Organizations
The ordinance also prohibits criminal organizations from conducting business within Avery’s city limits. This means groups that finance or promote abortions are not allowed to operate locally, further protecting the community from outside abortion influence.
Disposal of Remains
The ordinance forbids waste management companies from transporting or disposing of the remains of unborn children who have been killed by elective abortion across state lines and into Texas through Avery. This provision ensures that Avery will not become a passageway for the transfer or disposal of abortion-related remains, demonstrating the city’s commitment to treating unborn life with dignity.
How Enforcement Works
The Avery ordinance does not rely on police officers or city officials for enforcement; instead, it empowers private citizens to take action. If someone violates the ordinance—for example, by performing or aiding an abortion within the city, mailing abortion-inducing drugs into Avery, or engaging in abortion trafficking—any private citizen has the legal right to file a lawsuit against the violator. Those found guilty can be ordered to pay financial penalties, court costs, and attorneys’ fees. By placing enforcement in the hands of residents rather than government officials, the ordinance aims to avoid the kinds of legal challenges that typically target government enforcement actions. This is currently the same method of enforcement that is in the Texas Heartbeat Act.
The Impact of the Ordinance
Avery’s decision makes it the second city in Red River County to outlaw abortion. Anonna, Texas, in the same county, passed a similar ordinance in April. While Texas law already bans nearly all abortions statewide, the Avery Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance complements these laws by closing local loopholes and adding additional layers of protection. It prohibits elective abortions within the city, extends protections to Avery residents even outside city limits, bans abortion trafficking through Avery, and forbids the mailing of abortion-inducing drugs into the community. It even addresses unique concerns like blocking abortion-related organizations from operating locally and preventing the transport or disposal of abortion remains through the city.
By empowering private citizens to enforce these measures, Avery’s ordinance mirrors and strengthens state enforcement while ensuring that abortion and its support systems cannot take root in the community, even in the event that the state law were overturned.
Pro-life advocates hope this step will encourage additional towns across East Texas and beyond to take similar action. To learn more about how to pass a similar ordinance to Avery and have your city become a Sanctuary City for the Unborn, start a petition here.
