Government policy announcements or legal analyses

Trump to Pardon Pro-Life Activists Imprisoned Under Biden's FACE Act Enforcement Ahead of March for Life

Jan 23, 2025, 05:49 PM

President Donald Trump is set to issue pardons to pro-life activists who were imprisoned under the Biden administration's enforcement of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. The pardons are expected to be granted within days, aligning with Trump's efforts to address what he views as politically motivated prosecutions by the previous administration. This move comes ahead of the 52nd annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., where Trump will appear via a pre-recorded video. The pardons follow Trump's recent executive order that granted full pardons to over 1,500 individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol breach. Among those expected to receive pardons are activists like Lauren Handy, John Hinshaw, Jonathan Darnell, Herb Geraghty, Jean Marshall, Joan Bell, Paulette Harlow, Bevelyn Williams, Heather Idoni, and Calvin Zastrow, who were convicted for their involvement in peaceful protests at abortion facilities. The Thomas More Society, which represented many of these activists, has formally requested these pardons, emphasizing the activists' peaceful nature and the perceived misuse of the FACE Act by the Biden administration.