Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that eight new individuals have been indicted and arrested in connection with Houston-area medical clinics allegedly operating illegal abortion services and employing unlicensed practitioners.
The clinics owned by Maria Rojas were located in Waller, Cypress, Spring, and Katy.
According to Paxton's office, several of those arrests were of foreign nationals who assisted Rojas in running the clinics without proper medical authorization.
"This cabal of abortion-loving radicals has been running illegal clinics staffed with unlicensed individuals who endangered the very people they pretended to help," said Paxton. "Beyond being illegal, it is evil. These dens of fake doctors will not be allowed to operate in Texas. Those responsible will be held accountable. I will always protect innocent life and use every tool to enforce Texas's pro-life laws."
Maria Rojas of Houston was previously indicted by a Waller County grand jury on 15 felony counts, including the illegal performance of an abortion and 12 counts of practicing medicine without a license.
Court orders have since barred Rojas and her affiliates from performing medical procedures or abortions while the case is pending. The newly indicted individuals face charges of practicing medicine without a license.
Texas criminalizes unlawful abortion procedures, allowing them only in narrowly defined medical emergencies. Rojas was the first person charged under the state's new abortion statute.
