A Texas judge has temporarily suspended operations at several Houston-area clinics amid allegations of illegal abortion services and unlicensed medical practices.
The clinics, operated by Maria Margarita Rojas, known as “Dr. Maria,” are accused of performing abortions in violation of Texas’s stringent abortion laws and employing unlicensed individuals posing as medical professionals.
The affected clinics include Clinica Waller Latinoamericana in Waller, Clinica Latinoamericana Telge in Cypress, and Latinoamericana Medical Clinic in Spring.
The suspension will remain in effect until a hearing on March 27, where the court will decide on a more permanent injunction.
Rojas, 48, was arrested on March 6 and charged with the illegal performance of abortions and practicing medicine without a license.
If convicted, she faces fines of $100,000 per abortion and potential imprisonment. Her employee, Jose Manuel Cendan Ley, was also arrested on related charges.
These arrests mark the first criminal charges for performing abortions in Texas since the state’s near-total abortion ban took effect following the 2022 repeal of Roe v. Wade.
Attorney General Ken Paxton emphasized the state’s commitment to enforcing its pro-life laws and prosecuting individuals performing illegal abortions.
