President Donald Trump is expected to act swiftly to pardon pro-life activists imprisoned by the Biden Justice Department, according to reports from sources close to his team.
The announcement comes just ahead of the 52nd annual March for Life, a significant pro-life event held in Washington, D.C., that commemorates the countless lives lost to abortion. Trump, who has long positioned himself as a champion of the pro-life movement, is set to appear at the rally in a pre-recorded video, further solidifying his commitment to the cause.
The move follows Trump’s recent executive order pardoning approximately 1,500 individuals connected to the January 6 Capitol protests, fulfilling his campaign pledge to address what he called the “political targeting” of Americans by the Biden administration. For many in the pro-life community, this latest development signals hope that Trump will extend the same mercy to activists imprisoned under the controversial Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.
The FACE Act, weaponized under the Biden administration, became a flashpoint for pro-lifers who argue that its enforcement unfairly targeted peaceful protestors. Many of those incarcerated were convicted for acts of civil disobedience at abortion facilities, such as singing hymns, praying, and physically blocking entrances in protests meant to highlight the sanctity of life.
Among the imprisoned are Lauren Handy, Heather Idoni, and John Hinshaw, along with others who have been serving lengthy sentences. For activists like 59-year-old Idoni, who longs to return home to her family and hold her new grandson, Trump’s promised pardon could be life-changing.
One particularly egregious case involves 89-year-old Eva Edl, a World War II-era concentration camp survivor who now faces over a decade in prison for her participation in a Detroit protest. Her story underscores the disproportionate nature of these sentences and has galvanized support for Trump’s intervention.
The Thomas More Society, which has represented many of these defendants, formally petitioned for their pardons last week, noting that these individuals acted out of deep conviction and a desire to protect innocent life.
Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) have been vocal in calling for these pardons, with Lee also reintroducing a bill to repeal the FACE Act entirely. “No future administration should have the power to persecute Americans through unequal application of the law,” Lee stated. Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) echoed this sentiment, urging Republicans to capitalize on their congressional and executive control to eliminate the act and ensure justice for pro-lifers moving forward.
Trump has made no secret of his disdain for how the Biden DOJ targeted pro-life advocates, repeatedly calling the charges “outrageous” and promising to review every case of political persecution. His action now appears imminent, and it could become the first major gesture of his second term, sending a strong signal to the pro-life movement that their fight is a priority.