Rhode Islanders react after leaked Supreme Court draft overrules Roe v. Wade

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — According to a leaked draft majority opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn Roe v. Wade, which protects women’s rights to an abortion.

The leaked draft was written by Justice Samuel Alito.

“It’s reprehensible. It’s shocking,” said Joceyln Foye of the Womxn Project.

By overturning the ruling, there’s no legal federal protection to have an abortion and gives a state the power to write an abortion bill into law.

Foye, director of the Womxn Project, said it’s more than a fight for abortion, but for race equity.

“We need to see the Governor stand behind his word,” Foye exclaimed. “He tweeted out that he’s behind women’s rights, and I’m like, well why didn’t you put it in the budget?”

According to CNN, nearly half of the United States is expected to pass laws that ban abortions, while others have put strict measures in place to protect the procedure.

Kara Young, Narragansett native and board member of Servants of Christ for Life told ABC 6 News, she feels the opinion was leaked to intimidate the Supreme Court justices into flipping their decision.

“I don’t think they will be swayed hopefully, by just outrage of people that want to continue something that’s unjust and unfair to begin with,” said Young. “It’s really the civil rights issue of our time, I mean if you don’t have the right to life… everything else can’t follow.”

In 2019, former Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo signed the Reproductive Privacy Act which stated women have the right to get an abortion even if Roe v. Wade were to be overturned.

“But for 26 states across this country that already are moving towards banning abortion.. access to this essential health care won’t be legally available,” said Gretchen Raffa, Planned Parenthood vice president of Public Policy, Advocacy, and Organizing.

The opinion of the case is not expected to be fully published until June. A reversal of Roe v. Wade would leave abortion policies up to individual states.

“We’re going to do everything we can to ensure that our patients, and all patients, can access the abortion care they need and they deserve no matter what,” Raffa said.