After years of unchecked attacks on pro-life pregnancy centers, the Department of Justice is finally taking action. A new push to protect these vital facilities signals a shift in priorities, but will justice prevail for those who defend life?

Summary

• DOJ plans to use the FACE Act to prosecute pro-abortion activists for attacking pregnancy centers.
• Over 200 pregnancy centers were vandalized or firebombed since 2022, with few convictions.
• Biden administration disproportionately targeted pro-life activists with the FACE Act.
• Trump pardoned nearly two dozen pro-lifers prosecuted under Biden.
• Assistant AG Harmeet Dhillon vows to prioritize justice for pro-life facilities.

A New Era of Accountability

The Department of Justice, under Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, is redirecting the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act to protect pro-life pregnancy centers from violent attacks. Previously used by the Biden administration to prosecute pro-life activists for peaceful protests, the FACE Act also safeguards pregnancy resource centers and houses of worship from vandalism and arson. 

“While the statute is in place, it provides protection for both people who are going to abortion clinics as well as crisis pregnancy centers,” Dhillon told The Daily Signal, signaling a commitment to equal enforcement.

A History of Neglect

Since the 2022 Dobbs decision leak, over 200 pregnancy centers have faced vandalism, firebombings, and threats, with groups like Jane’s Revenge claiming responsibility. The Biden DOJ prosecuted only five such cases while targeting 55 pro-life activists under the FACE Act, a disparity critics call a “double standard.”

 “There’s a mountain of evidence,” said Jim Harden, CEO of CompassCare, whose New York center was firebombed in 2022, noting the FBI’s failure to pursue suspects despite available surveillance. The Biden administration’s focus on pro-life protesters, often in daylight, contrasted with its inaction on nighttime attacks against pro-life facilities.

Restoring Justice

President Trump’s first week back in office saw pardons for nearly two dozen pro-lifers convicted under Biden’s DOJ, a move hailed by conservatives as correcting a politicized justice system. 

Dhillon emphasized a shift in priorities: “We have changed the priorities, not the mission, in each of the sections in the Civil Rights Division.” The DOJ now aims to bring “numerous” cases against pro-abortion vandals, with recent convictions in Florida fining activists up to $13,000 and banning them from centers.

Protecting Pro-Life Sanctuaries

Pregnancy centers, offering free support to expectant mothers, embody conservative values of life and compassion. With Dhillon’s pledge to prosecute attackers, conservatives hope for a renewed commitment to law and order. “This Department of Justice is committed to protecting crisis pregnancy centers,” a DOJ spokesperson declared, signaling a stand against violence targeting pro-life missions.