Trump Pardons 23 Pro-Life Activists Targeted by Biden’s DOJ

In a major political move, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday pardoning 23 pro-life activists who had been prosecuted under President Joe Biden's Justice Department. Trump condemned the prosecutions as unjust, stating, “They should not have been prosecuted. Many of them are elderly people. This is a great honor to sign this.”

The pardons include peaceful protesters who were convicted under the FACE Act and a Reconstruction-era felony conspiracy charge, marking the first time such charges were used against pro-life advocates. Among those pardoned are elderly individuals, including 89-year-old Eva Edl, a World War II concentration camp survivor, who faced potential decades-long prison sentences.

Legal representatives from the Thomas More Society, who fought for the activists, celebrated the decision. Senior counsel Steve Crampton stated, “The heroic, peaceful pro-lifers unjustly imprisoned by Biden’s Justice Department will now be freed and return to their families.”

The FACE Act, initially passed in 1994 to protect clinics and churches, has faced criticism for disproportionately targeting pro-life Americans, with 97% of cases prosecuted under the act being against pro-life individuals. Republican lawmakers are now calling for its repeal to ensure fairness in enforcement.

The pardons sparked praise from conservative groups and Republican lawmakers, who lauded Trump’s action as a defense of First Amendment rights. This decision underscores Trump’s ongoing commitment to pro-life values and his efforts to counter what his team views as the Biden administration’s weaponization of the law.