Pro-Life Community Anxiously Awaits Trump Pardons For Imprisoned Activists

Members of the pro-life community are anxiously awaiting word that President Donald Trump will pardon the activists imprisoned by the Biden Justice Department for trying to prevent abortions.

Trump issued a sweeping executive order on Monday that granted full pardons for about 1,500 criminal defendants related to the January 6 Capitol Riot, making good on many campaign promises to free those targeted by the Biden DOJ. 

He has also repeatedly criticized the Biden Justice Department for targeting pro-lifers on “outrageous charges,” promising on the campaign trail to “rapidly review the cases of every political prisoner who’s unjustly victimized by the Biden regime…so we can get them out of the gulags and back to their families where they belong.”

The Thomas More Society, which represented many of the defendants during their federal trials, formally petitioned for the pardons last week, and urged Trump on Wednesday to issue the pardons. Wednesday is the 52nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, which the Supreme Court struck down in 2022 largely thanks to votes from Trump appointees.

Both Thomas More Society Executive Vice President Peter Breen and lawyer Steve Crampton told The Daily Wire that this Roe anniversary would be a great day for Trump to issue the pardons. 

“Today would be an incredible day for him to do that,” Breen told The Daily Wire on Wednesday morning, discussing possible pardons. 

The law firm posted on X, formerly Twitter, calling on Trump to keep his promise, writing: “During your victorious campaign, you pledged to restore justice to the pro-life political targets of Biden’s DOJ. On today’s anniversary of Roe v. Wade, please keep your promise to these peaceful pro-lifers.”

Paul Vaughn, one of the pro-lifers targeted by the Biden Justice Department, seconded this sentiment in his own social media posts.

“Amen. Today is as good a day as any,” he wrote to Trump. “The Pro-lifers could eat dinner with their families tonight instead of yet another prison meal.”

Amen. Today is as good a day as any. @POTUS@realDonaldTrump The Pro-lifers could eat dinner with their families tonight instead of yet another prison meal.@realDailyWire @DailySignal @TCNetwork @TuckerCarlson @LilaGraceRose @GRTL@ClevelandRTL @MiaCathell https://t.co/wycOjl7ZO8

— Paul TN (@vaughnshire) January 22, 2025

On Tuesday, Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) said he hoped that Trump would free the prisoners, whose sentences range from six to 57 months.  

“I hope President Trump will shortly pardon the pro-life prisoners unjustly targeted & jailed by the Biden Administration. They deserve to be free,” Hawley posted on X. 

I hope President Trump will shorty pardon the pro-life prisoners unjustly targeted & jailed by the Biden Administration. They deserve to be free

— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) January 22, 2025

The Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU) also called on Trump to pardon Lauren Handy, its director of activism, who is currently serving a 57-month sentence over a protest at a notorious late-term abortion facility in Washington, D.C. She won’t be free until July 2027. 

Prolife activist Lauren Handy has been in prison for 17 months. Months ago she sustained an ankle injury and still hasn’t healed. Some days she can’t walk from the pain. She must be pardoned to return home and heal. Her 57 month sentence is too long.

— PAAU (@PAAUNOW) January 21, 2025

“Prolife activist Lauren Handy has been in prison for 17 months. Months ago she sustained an ankle injury and still hasn’t healed,” the organization said. “Some days she can’t walk from the pain. She must be pardoned to return home and heal. Her 57 month sentence is too long.” 

In addition to Handy, the group urged for all 20 other defendants successfully prosecuted under Biden to be pardoned and freed. 

The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh repeatedly pushed for the pro-lifers to be pardoned, saying on Wednesday: “They are political prisoners who should not spend one more moment in jail under a Trump Administration. I pray that their pardons are coming immediately.”

They are political prisoners who should not spend one more moment in jail under a Trump Administration. I pray that their pardons are coming immediately. https://t.co/tVA2Ni7JPk

— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) January 22, 2025

On Tuesday, Republican Rep. Chip Roy (TX) introduced a measure alongside 20 House Republicans to repeal the FACE Act, pointing out its disproportionate use against pro-life activists, The Daily Wire reported. 

“Now that we have a Republican trifecta in the House, Senate, and White House, Congress should move quickly to repeal this law and ensure that no future president can weaponize it against pro-lifers ever again,” Roy said. “No more excuses, let’s get it done.”