On Friday, January 24, as part of its sweeping reorientation of the U.S. Department of Justice, which had been politicized to an unparalleled degree under Joe Biden and Merrick Garland, the Trump administration ordered the immediate dismissal of a lawsuit in which Life Legal represented two heroic pro-life defendants. This suit depended on the prior administration’s unconscionably expansive interpretation of the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. As the Biden/Garland axis saw it, FACE could be transformed into an unrestricted weapon against nearly all on-site pro-life advocacy.
Trump’s people have answered with a resounding no.
Back in 2021, in cooperation with others, our clients, Laura Gies and Audrey Whipple, participated in a sit-in at an abortion mill in the Akron, Ohio, area. They also passively resisted arrest by going limp. These actions were addressed in state court.
But state convictions did not satisfy the Biden/Garland Justice Department, which filed a civil suit under FACE with the intention of heaping further punishments on Laura, Audrey, and other nonviolent participants.
In August of last year, we filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The gist of our argument was that FACE prohibited only physical obstruction, not sit-ins or going limp. We also called for a repeal of the FACE Act itself.
Ultimately, the lawsuit was dismissed—not by a judge, but by the Trump Department of Justice. Although we cannot definitively measure the impact of our arguments, it is possible they resonated with members of the new administration.
What we do know is this: The DOJ memo explaining the lawsuit’s dismissal states that, moving forward, FACE Act prosecutions related to abortion will be limited to cases involving “death, serious bodily harm, or serious property damage.” That assurance puts Laura Gies and Audrey Whipple in the clear.
Moreover, Texas Congressman Chip Roy has introduced the FACE Repeal Act of 2025 – which, if passed, would prevent future Democrat administrations from reinstating Biden’s program of persecution.
These are encouraging developments. Pro-life activism now faces perhaps the most favorable federal environment in history.
However, the battle is far from over. Many state and local governments remain aggressively pro-abortion and will continue to suppress pro-life speech. Additionally, private organizations and individuals will use lawsuits, harassment, and other tactics to silence the most effective pro-life advocates—those praying, counseling, and taking action outside abortion facilities right now.
Life Legal supporters can rightly rejoice in these victories, but we must remain vigilant. We are winning—but the fight continues.
- Please offer thanks for the deliverance of Laura and Audrey from the unjust persecution of the Biden/Garland DOJ!
- Please pray for pro-life free speech nationwide, and for the repeal of the FACE Act, keeping in mind that the pro-lifers on the streets in front of murder mills regularly save lives!
- Please pray for the innocent infants still targeted by the abortion industry!