Texas Midwife Faces First Criminal Charges Under State's Abortion Ban

Maria Margarita Rojas is accused of performing illegal abortions and operating clinics with unlicensed staff, marking a significant enforcement of Texas' restrictive abortion laws.

Maria Margarita Rojas, a 48-year-old Houston-area midwife, has been charged with performing illegal abortions and practicing medicine without a license.
This marks the first criminal case under Texas' near-total abortion ban, enacted in 2022 through the Human Life Protection Act.
Rojas allegedly operated three clinics in the Houston area, employing unlicensed individuals who falsely claimed to be licensed medical professionals.
The Texas Attorney General's office has filed for a temporary restraining order to shut down the clinics involved in the case.
Rojas faces up to 20 years in prison for the abortion-related charges, with the case now moving toward a grand jury for potential indictment.