Seminole, Texas, Becomes 101st City to Adopt Abortion Ban

SEMINOLE, TX — Seminole, Texas, has become the 101st city in the United States to adopt an ordinance declaring it a Sanctuary City for the Unborn, following a November 3 vote in which residents approved the measure by a margin of 53.1% to 46.9%.

The ordinance passed with 831 votes in favor and 734 against, making Seminole the 84th municipality in Texas to adopt such a measure. The city has a population of approximately 7,952. The ordinance defines abortion as the use, prescription, administration or sale of any instrument, medication, or other means intended to terminate a pregnancy when doing so is reasonably likely to cause the death of an unborn child.

It explicitly excludes in vitro fertilization and other fertility treatments, contraception, emergency contraception, and procedures to remove an ectopic pregnancy or a child who has died following a spontaneous miscarriage.

The measure also provides an exception for abortions performed to save the life of a pregnant woman during a medical emergency. It defines a medical emergency as a life-threatening physical condition arising from or aggravated by pregnancy that places a woman at risk of death or serious impairment of a major bodily function unless an abortion is performed.

The ordinance is enforced the same way the Texas Heartbeat Act is enforced, through private civil lawsuits against individuals or organizations accused of violating the ordinance. Women who undergo or seek abortions are exempt from civil liability. The ordinance establishes a six-year statute of limitations.

Seminole's adoption marks the 18th Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinance passed in Texas in 2026. Eight Texas counties have also approved ordinances.

Previously, the UOJ reported that a surrogate who refused an abortion asked the Supreme Court to protect her custody rights.