Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade in landmark opinion

The Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, effectively ending recognition of a constitutional right to abortion and giving individual states the power to allow, limit, or ban the practice altogether. (Getty Images)

EXCLUSIVE: A group of Republican senators are introducing a resolution in celebration of the pro-life movement's "historic victory" at the Supreme Court last week, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the case that overturned landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade.

The Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, effectively ending recognition of a constitutional right to abortion and giving individual states the power to allow, limit, or ban the practice altogether.

The resolution introduced by the GOP senators Tuesday praises the work of the pro-life movement over the last 50 years to "stand up" for the rights of the unborn and ensure the dignity of every person is protected under the laws of the United States.

"The Supreme Court decision is a victory for the pro-life movement and the volunteers who have supported mothers and children for the past 50 years. Pro-life supporters come together from different states, religions, professions, and backgrounds in order to fight for the lives of the unborn, and I look forward to empowering the work of these volunteers as they continue to fearlessly defend the right to life," Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., told Fox News Digital.

The senators joining Blackburn as cosponsors include: Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Mike Lee of Utah, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, James Risch of Idaho, Mike Crapo of Idaho, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, Mike Braun of Indiana, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Todd Young of Indiana, Marco Rubio of Florida, Rick Scott of Florida, Ted Cruz of Texas and John Thune of South Dakota.

Read more by Fox News' Kelly Laco: Republican senators introduce pro-life resolution celebrating Supreme Court abortion case: 'Historic victory'

Host Taraji P. Henson speaks at the BET Awards on Sunday, June 26, 2022, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Several stars at the BET Awards ceremony Sunday night used the stage to criticize the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent abortion ruling.

"It’s a sad day in America," actress and singer Taraji P. Henson told the crowd at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Henson also claimed guns in America had more rights than women, following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

"It’s about damn time we talk about the fact that guns have more rights than a woman," Henson said. "A weapon that can take lives has more power than a woman that can give life – if she chooses to," she added.

For more on the story, click here: Stars use BET Awards to criticize Roe v. Wade ruling: 'F--- you Supreme Court'

Vice President Kamala Harris waves as she departs after speaking at the Tribal Nations Summit in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus, Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Vice President Kamala Harris faced a rare bipartisan attack on Twitter following a post about fighting for abortion "rights" from Friday night.

On her official vice president Twitter account, Harris posted an image of herself watching CNN’s coverage of pro-choice protests while flying on Air Force 2.

"I know there are women out there who are afraid. To those of you who feel alone and scared: I want you to know the President and I are fighting for you and your rights. We are in this fight together," Harris tweeted.

After the Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade case, several pro-choice protests broke out throughout the country with riots taking place in major cities.

Click here to read more on Fox News

The Supreme Court's ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, a 1973 landmark decision that granted federal protections for abortion, sent a shockwave through America and raised the question of how the move from conservative justices on the court will impact the upcoming midterm elections.

The ruling came in the court's opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which centered on a Mississippi law that banned abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The Republican-led state of Mississippi asked the Supreme Court to strike down a lower court ruling that stopped the 15-week abortion ban from taking place.

To better understand how the ruling will impact the elections, or whether it will at all, Fox News Digital contacted political experts from both sides of the aisle to get their assessment.

Click here to read more on Fox News

Austin City Council members are seeking to pass legislation that would decriminalize abortion citywide after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a decision that puts the Texas "trigger law" into effect shortly.

Council members want new legislation that would specifically target a state law that would ban abortions performed from the moment of fertilization, according to FOX 7.

Austin City Council members Vanessa Fuentes and José "Chito" Vela are both asking for a special meeting board to be convinced in order to pass the GRACE Act, which stands for "Guarding the Right to Abortion Care for Everyone."

Vela wrote in the council's message board on Friday following the Supreme Court ruling, asking for support in passing the act.

Click here to read more on Fox News

A large group of rioters was seen in downtown Portland, Oregon smashing windows and vandalizing several buildings Saturday night. The group also graffitied messages targeting the U.S. Supreme Court.

The group, made of about 100 people, were yelling and chanting as they marched down the streets and would periodically stop to destroy and graffiti objects.

"Death to SCOTUS," one black spray-painted message said.

Members of the group smashed several windows of a Starbucks Coffee building and others were seen destroying a Tesla car. 

Click here to read more on Fox News

President Joe Biden does not support Democrats pushing to expand the Supreme Court, the White House announced on Saturday.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed the president's position on the issue during an Air Force Once press gaggle. Some Democrats have argued for court-packing in recent years, but those calls were amplified following SCOTUS' decision to overrule key abortion cases Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey on Friday.

Many of Biden's fellow Democrats have argued for expanding the court to offset the influence of the three justices appointed under former President Donald Trump's administration.

"So, I know I've… I was asked this question yesterday, and I've been asked it before — and I think the president himself … about expanding the Court," Jean-Pierre said to reporters. "That is something that the president does not agree with. That is not something that he wants to do."

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Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams talks to the media during Georgia's primary election on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams appeared on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday and was asked whether she believes that businesses should pull operations from Georgia if an abortion ban goes into effect.

The Democrat said that businesses “should be accommodating” if the abortion ban takes effect in the state.

“I would tell anyone, whether you are a business or a citizen thinking about being in Georgia, to take into very real consideration the danger that Brian Kemp poses to the life and welfare of women in the state,” she said.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., joins abortion-rights activists as they demonstrate following Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in Washington, Friday, June 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday and was asked whether Supreme Court justices found to have lied under oath in a confirmation hearing should be impeached.

“I believe lying under oath is an impeachable offense. I believe that violating federal law in not disclosing income from political organizations, as Clarence Thomas did years ago, is also potentially an impeachable offense,” the congresswoman told anchor Chuck Todd.

Ocasio-Cortez suggested that several Supreme Court justices “misled” senators during the confirmation process, citing claims made by U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Susan Collins, R-Maine. Both senators last week suggested that Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh misled them on the abortion issue in testimony.

“This is a crisis of legitimacy and President Biden must address that,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks to abortion-rights protesters at a rally following the United States Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, federally protected right to abortion, outside the state capitol in Lansing, Mich., Friday, June 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Sunday attempted to blame former President Donald Trump for the rise in extremism when responding to a question about threats from "pro-abortion rights groups."  

In an appearance on CBS’ "Face the Nation," the Democratic governor first ripped the "radical agenda" of the Michigan GOP and Republican candidates for governor in supporting legislation she said would make abortion a felony with no exceptions for rape and incest and throw nurses and doctors in jail.

"This is a moment where we’re seeing how extreme the Michigan GOP has gotten," Whitmer told CBS host Margaret Brennan. "This radical agenda to deprive women of making their own most important economic decision that they’ll make in their lifetime – when and whether or not to have a child."

For more on this story, click here: Whitmer slams Trump for extremism after question addressing threats from 'pro-abortion rights group'

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., talks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, June 15, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said the Supreme Court torched its legitimacy after voting to overturn Roe V. Wade. 

"This Court has lost legitimacy. They have burned whatever legitimacy they may still have had after their gun decision, after their voting decision, after their union decision," Warren told ABC "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz on Sunday morning.

"They just took the last of it and set a torch to it," she continued. "I believe we need to get some confidence back in our Court and that means we need more justices on the United States Supreme Court."

For more on this story, click here: Liz Warren says SCOTUS ‘set a torch’ to its last bit of legitimacy after overturning Roe V. Wade

Georgia's Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams on Sunday refused to say whether she believed there should be restrictions on abortions or whether she believed abortion was acceptable all the way up to nine months, saying it is a "medical decision" and shouldn't be political.

Abrams was pressed during a "Fox News Sunday" interview to respond to the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade on Friday and whether she believed there should be any limitations on abortion.

"I believe that abortion is a medical decision. And I believe that that should be a choice made between a doctor and a woman and in consultation with her family," Abrams said. "But I think the challenge that we have is that we keep putting this in a political space. This is a medical decision. And the medical choices that should be made should be governed by what is best for that woman. And what is the best suggestion of an advice of their doctor."

For more on this story, click here: Stacey Abrams refuses to say whether she supports restrictions on abortions up to 9 months

Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe. V. Wade, and said former President Donald Trump deserves credit for the landmark decision.

"President Trump deserves the lion's share of credit here. He fought like a tiger to put three constitutional conservative judges on the court. He stood behind Kavanaugh and all of us who've been working for the last 50 years to get this right to have a constitutional reset," Graham said on "Fox News Sunday."

"Friday was a glorious day," Graham added. 

For more on this story, click here: Lindsey Graham praises Trump after SCOTUS overturns Roe: ‘deserves the lion’s share of credit’

U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. June 8, 2022. (Andrew Harnik/Pool via REUTERS)

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., suggested in an Instagram video Saturday night that pro-life Democrats should no longer serve in the wake of the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade.

AOC sounded off on the Supreme Court ruling by listing several "action items" on Instagram, including what to do with pro-life Democrats.

"Also, if you live in a blue area, when people say ‘go vote,’ that should include primary elections too," she told her followers. "Because, the thing that a lot of people don't like to talk about, is the fact that not every Democrat is pro-choice. Okay? So, the ones that aren't, we really need to reassess if it's appropriate for them to continue to serve in 2022 because people should have the right to control their own body. This is pretty basic."

For more on this story, click here: AOC wonders if pro-life Democrats should continue to serve: 'We really need to reassess'

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., joins abortion-rights activists as they demonstrate following Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in Washington, Friday, June 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez decried the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and took particular issue with the state of Arkansas for banning most abortions after the landmark opinion was released. 

"This decision and this policy will kill people no matter what their spin and what their talking points are," Ocasio-Cortez said on MSNBC’s "Meet the Press" on Sunday morning. 

Host Chuck Todd has asked the congresswoman about Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson signing into law a "trigger" statute that banned all abortions in the state except in the event to save a mother’s life. The law was signed after the Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe on Friday. 

"I couldn't disagree more with Governor Hutchinson, but I think what's really important is honing in on this idea that the … the governor and the Republican Party, and frankly the Republican legislature in Arkansas, cares about the life of a woman and the life of a mother," Ocasio-Cortez said. 

For more on this story, click here: AOC slams SCOTUS abortion decision, says women will die and too many children already in 'poverty'

The Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center in Virginia was vandalized following Supreme Court overturning Roe. V. Wade. (Lynchburg Police Department)

Vandals targeted a pro-life center in Lynchburg, Virginia, with threatening graffiti and broken windows following the U.S. Supreme Court voting to overturn Roe. V. Wade on Friday. 

"If abortion ain’t safe, you ain’t safe," red graffiti states on an entrance area of the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center, photos posted by local police show. 

Lynchburg Police responded to the pregnancy center at about 10:40 a.m. on Saturday. Officers found "​​that the building had been spray painted with graffiti, and multiple windows had been broken out. Security camera footage shows four masked individuals committing the acts."

For more on this story, click here: Vandals target Virginia pro-life center with menacing graffiti: ‘You ain't safe’

Vermont capitol police said vandals broke seven windows across the front of the State House building and spray-painted the front portico with the message: "if abortions aren't safe you're not either." (Montpelier Police Department)

The Vermont Statehouse is another one of several buildings hit with vandalism and pro-abortion threatening messaging across the country following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. 

The Montpelier Police Department released a photo Saturday showing graffiti at the front entrance of the Vermont State House reading: "If abortions aren't safe, you aren't either" – the calling card of the pro-abortion militant group known as Jane's Revenge.

Shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday, an unknown person or persons vandalized the Vermont State House, breaking seven windows across the front of the building, the State of Vermont Capitol Police Department said in a press release. Police added that the damages are estimated to exceed $25,000.

For more on this story, click here: Pro-choice vandals scrawl threat on Vermont State House after Roe v. Wade decision: police

LAPD officers clash with activists as they attempt to walk onto the 110 freeway at Broadway as they protest the overturning of Roe v. Wade in Los Angeles on Saturday, June 25, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)

A California man was arrested and charged with attempted murder after he allegedly attacked a police officer during a protest of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent abortion decision, police said.

Michael Ortiz, 30, and Juliana Bernado, 23, were among those arrested during a clash with police officers in the downtown Los Angeles area Friday night as people gathered to protest the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore said.

“The vast majority of those involved were peaceful and law-abiding, however, a much smaller group of individuals took to the streets with the intention of creating chaos and destruction,” the LAPD said.

For more on the story, click here: Supreme Court abortion protests: LAPD arrests suspect for attempted murder of police officer

Rioters march the streets of downtown Portland, smashing windows and graffitiing local businesses on June 25, 2022. (Fox News/Bradford Betz)

A large group of rioters was seen in downtown Portland, Oregon smashing windows and vandalizing several buildings Saturday night. The group also graffitied several messages targeting the U.S. Supreme Court.

The group, made of about 100 people, were yelling and chanting as they marched down the streets when they would periodically stop to destroy and graffiti objects.

"Death to SCOTUS," one black spray-painted message said.

The group's destructive spree comes a day after a majority on the Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, which recognized the right of women to receive an abortion.

For more on the story, click here: Rioters in downtown Portland graffiti, smash windows following Supreme Court abortion case: 'Death to SCOTUS'

An abortion rights group in Arizona, alongside the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona filed an emergency motion on Saturday in an attempt to block a 2021 Arizona “personhood” law that passed last September from going into effect.

The law bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy and includes a “personhood” provision that critics argue could prevent all abortions in the state.

The “personhood” provision allows the state to interpret all laws to confer the rights of people on unborn children, including those recognized in the Constitution and by U.S. Supreme Court decisions.

The legal filing comes the day after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which first legalized abortion nationwide. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Former U.S. Senator Al Franken took to Twitter to criticize conservative justices on the U.S. Supreme Court following a majority decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

In a series of tweets, the embattled former Senator-turned-podcast host included a specific criticism of Justice Clarence Thomas, who opined the overturning of the abortion precedent should push his court to review other major cases as well.

"After overturning Roe, Thomas wants to revisit Griswold, Lawrence, & Obergefell. How about revisiting Thomas’ conflicts of interest instead of our rights?" Franken said in a tweet on Saturday.

The cases — Griswold v. Connecticut in 1965, Lawrence v. Texas in 2003, and Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015 — concern the rulings that legalized contraception access without government restriction, same-sex relationships, and marriage equality for gay couples, respectively.

For more on the story, click here: Al Franken erupts after Clarence Thomas says what Supreme Court should do after Roe v. Wade abortion decision

A self-described "Night of Rage" event put on by pro-abortion protesters in Oregon resulted in 10 arrests. 

The protest began as a gathering around a pregnancy center in Eugene, Oregon and police say many of them were dressed in all-black with backpacks and ultimately became unruly which led to 10 arrests for disorderly conduct, according to a press release from the city.

"The crowd started growing and moved toward the medical building. Eugene Police’s Mobile Response Team arrived in the area to block the building using its vehicles and officers to surround the building," the statement said.

"The crowd continued to grow and began blocking E. 11th Avenue by standing in the roadway. Some people were observed picking up rocks and several began putting on gas masks. One female had a chemical pump sprayer and she was pumping it up. Additional EPD Patrol resources were called in," the city added.

For more on the story, click here: Oregon police arrest 10 outside pregnancy center after Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade

Planned Parenthood of Utah and the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah have filed a lawsuit claiming a state law that bans most abortions violates Utah's constitution.

At the center of the case is a so-called "trigger law" that went into effect Friday, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

The trigger law bans abortions except to avert death or severe damage to the mother. It was initially passed in 2020.

The Utah law also provides other exceptions, including where the fetus has a “severe brain abnormality” or if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. A doctor must have verified the incident with police records.

Under the law, individuals who perform an abortion operation could face up to 15 years in prison.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

MENDON, IL - JUNE 25: Former US President Donald Trump gives remarks during a Save America Rally at the Adams County Fairgrounds on June 25, 2022 in Mendon, Illinois. Trump will be stumping for Rep. Mary Miller in an Illinois congressional primary and it will be Trump's first rally since the United States Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade on Friday. (Photo by Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images)

Former President Donald Trump celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade during a rally in Illinois Saturday.

“The court handed down a victory for the Constitution, a victory for the rule of law and above all, a victory for life,” Trump said.

The former president applauded the efforts of pro-life activists and other conservatives: "Your boundless love, sacrifice and devotion has finally been rewarded in full.”

“Thank you, Trump," the crowd roared back.

During the rally, Trump endorsed Darren Bailey for governor and renewed his support for Rep. Mary Miller. Illinois' primary election is on Tuesday.

Click here for more on the story: Trump takes victory lap on abortion reversal during Illinois rally

A pregnancy center in Longmont, Colorado, was vandalized on early Saturday morning, according to police. (Longmont Fire, Police and Community Health and Resilience)

A pregnancy center in Longmont, Colorado, was vandalized on early Saturday morning, according to police.

The incident happened at Life Choices and police say that the building sustained "fire and heavy smoke damage."

The fire at the pregnancy center is being investigated as arson.

According to police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is also assisting in the investigation.

Officials also said the building had been vandalized with black spray paint.

"If abortion aren't (sic) safe, neither are you," one of the spray paintings reads.

In the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling on Friday that sends abortion-related decisions back to the states, three abortion survivors appeared on "Fox & Friends Weekend" on Saturday to share their personal experiences and that of their mothers — and how their lives played out after the early trauma they experienced.

Melissa Ohden, Priscilla Hurley and Micaella Clay spoke on Saturday morning about what they went through — and how they feel today.

"I survived a failed saline infusion abortion attempt back in 1977," said Ohden.  

"After being poisoned and scalded in the womb over a five-day period, I was accidentally born alive in the final step of that abortion procedure," she revealed. 

Click here to read more on Fox News

Two people were arrested at the Supreme Court on Saturday afternoon for destruction of property, according to the U.S. Capitol Police.

The two individuals are accused of "throwing paint over the fence by the U.S. Supreme Court."

A spokesperson for the U.S. Capitol Police told Fox News that Nicholas Salvador and Leah Johnson were arrested in relation to the incident.

Fox News' Thomas Phippen contributed to this report

American singer and actor Barbra Streisand said on Friday afternoon that the Supreme Court is "the American Taliban."

Streisand, who has starred in many movies including the Little Fockers and Meet the Fockers, said on Friday following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade that the court used "religious dogma to overturn the constitutional right to abortion."

"The Court uses religious dogma to overturn the constitutional right to abortion. This Court is the American Taliban," Streisand said.

Her comments come as multiple states enacted so-called "trigger laws" which ban abortion with some exceptions, such as rape, incest, or if an abortion is deemed medically necessary.

Click here to read more on Fox News

President Biden on Saturday criticized the Supreme Court for its "terrible decisions" this week after it announced two historical rulings that overruled Roe v. Wade and expanded gun rights nationwide. 

"I think the Supreme Court has made some terrible decisions," Biden said in response to a question from a reporter over whether the Supreme Court "is broken."

The high court came under severe backlash Friday following its landmark decision to remove 50-years of legal precedent established under Roe v. Wade by ending a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion – giving states the power to allow, limit or ban the practice altogether.

Critics of the ruling, including democratic leadership, evoked their ire on the Supreme Court, calling it "illegitimate" and accusing the high court, which is supposed to interpret the law through a nonpartisan lens, of being led by conservative politics. 

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Law enforcement officers in Phoenix, Arizona used tear gas to break up a sizable group of protesters outside the state's Senate building following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn the landmark abortion ruling Roe v. Wade.

"Protesters threatened to break the AZ Senate entryway glass," Republican Arizona State Senator Wendy Rogers tweeted, as members were in the middle of voting on a series of bills.

...

The state's Attorney General, Mark Brnovich, said that "this wasn't a peaceful or lawful protest."

"An angry mob defaced the Arizona Peace Officers Memorial last night, after being dispersed from the State Capitol. This wasn't a peaceful or lawful protest," Brnovich said. "We must never tolerate these criminal attempts to tear down our institutions and intimidate our officials."

The pro-choice group "Our Rights DC" announced they will be protesting in Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch's neighborhood on Saturday night.

"Gorsucks tonight. Meet at 6:30pm. Carpool at 7pm. No autonomy for us, no peace for fascists. DM for info. #SCOTUS6," the group tweeted.

The protest comes one day after the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade.

One monument vandalized reads "abort the court." (Credit: Arizona Department of Public Safety)

The Arizona Department of Public Safety said in a Saturday afternoon statement that protesters attempted to "breach the doors of the Arizona Senate and force their way into the building" on Friday night, following the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade.

The statement says that an estimated 7,000 to 8,000 people came to the Arizona State Capitol Complex in Phoenix, Arizona following the Supreme Court decision.

As the night went on, what began as "peaceful protest" eventually "evolved into anarchical and criminal actions by masses of splinter groups," and people attempted to enter the Arizona Senate.

"As groups realized the state legislature was in session, they attempted to breach the doors of the Arizona Senate and force their way into the building. The violence of their efforts literally shook the building and terrified citizens and law makers who occupied the building. As the glass doors bowed from attempts of forced entry, the occupants of the building were instructed to move to secure locations," the Arizona Department of Public Safety said.

Arizona State Troopers then deployed "field force teams and tear gas" due to the threat presented by the protesters.

Officers exercised "patience and application of tactics" with protesters at Wesley Bolin Plaza, in front of the Arizona State Capitol, but after "multiple warnings" moved to use tear gas and cleared the plaza.

The statement added that after the plaza was cleared, "additional state buildings" were damaged.

One monument vandalized reads "abort the court."

"Real Time" host Bill Maher conceded that former President Donald Trump could win back the White House in 2024 if he was not so fixated on the 2020 election.  

During a panel discussion on Friday night, Maher ridiculed Trump, who took aim at the HBO star during a recent speech, after Maher insisted that Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would be "way better" than the 45th president if one of them were to be in the Oval Office.

"And I just thought, you know, if Trump could just let go of the election, which he can't, he can win this so easy because he can win just on Drag Queen Story Hour," Maher said. 

Maher later cited a recent New Hampshire poll showing DeSantis holding a two-point edge over Trump in a GOP primary matchup, taunting the former president, "That's right, Donny. He beat you."

Click here to read more on Fox News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Pro-life and pro-choice activists outside the Supreme Court predicted how the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade could influence voting in the midterm elections. 

"My brother said to me, ‘Tighe, what’s going to happen when this is over?’ I said ‘nothing,’" Tighe, a pro-choice activist, told Fox News. "Because there is no opposition party in the United States."

The Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision Friday in a 5-4 vote, giving the states the authority to decide their abortion laws. 

The decision came just over four months before the November midterm elections.

Click here to read more on Fox News

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are urging President Joe Biden to declare a national emergency after the Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade.

The decision shifted the legality of abortion to states, about two dozen of which have so-call "trigger laws" outlawing or restricting abortion, so the members want Biden to intervene. 

“Every day we wait to respond is a day wasted in mitigating the public health crisis that Roe’s dismantling will catalyze,” the members said in a letter.

Chairwoman and Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-N.Y.) described the Court's decision as a set back for the country.

"The hands of time have once again been turned back," Beatty said.

"Let me be very clear: government-mandated pregnancy is not pro-life, it is pro-policing of women’s bodies," she continued. "We have seen what life was like pre-Roe v. Wade, and America cannot afford to go back."

"More than anything, I am worried for the people who need an abortion, and who will no longer be able to access one, or, worse yet, will be criminalized for seeking out services," Beatty added on Twitter.

"A woman’s right to choose should be non-negotiable. It is vital we pass federal legislation to secure access to reproductive care," she said.

Progressive Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., spoke at a pro-choice rally in St. Louis, Missouri Friday afternoon during which protesters chanted "Free abortion on demand, the people hate abortion bans!"

Bush, who was elected as a Missouri congresswoman in 2020 and is considered a member of the "Squad," repeatedly called U.S. Supreme Court justices "unelected" as the crowd booed.

They were "able to make a decision to affect people whose existence they will never know," she said of the decision by the court to overturn Roe v. Wade. "Whose children and children’s children they will never know."

For more on the decision, click here: Cori Bush speaks at pro-choice rally where protesters call abortion 'act of love,' demand no restrictions

Former President Bill Clinton released a statement Friday criticizing the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, saying it puts "partisanship ahead of precedent."

"Today's opinion by the Supreme Court on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization is wrong on the merits, wrong for women and their ability to make their own healthcare decisions, and wrong for what it means for the future of our country," Clinton said.

He added: "This decision puts partisanship ahead of precedent, ideology ahead of evidence, and the power of a small minority ahead of the clear will of the people."

The Los Angeles Police Department said the abortion protests in the city have concluded.

"The crowds have dispersed and the flow of traffic has been restored," LAPD said on Twitter late Friday night. "The tactical alert has been cancelled and we have resumed standard operations."

"We want to thank the men and women who worked long hours to ensure citizens were able to exercise their 1st Amendment right," the police department added.

At least 20 people were taken into custody Friday by the New York Police Department, following an abortion protest near Bryant Park.

The people were protesting the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, a decision announced earlier in the day.

The crowd of protesters has since dispersed.

Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Friday praised the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and laid out his plan for abortions in the commonwealth to be banned after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

The governor told The Washington Post that he would like a 15-week ban on abortions, but conceded that a compromise of 20 weeks would likely have to happen given Virginia's divided Congress.

"Virginians do want fewer abortions as opposed to more abortions," Youngkin said Friday morning shortly after the Supreme Court's ruling was announced. "I am not someone who is going to jump in and try to push us apart … There is a place we can come together."

Democratic lawmakers in the state have said any legislation that impedes or restricts abortions would be dead on arrival.

US basketball player LeBron James arrives for Netflix's Los Angeles premiere of "Hustle" held at the Westwood Regency Village Theatre on June 1, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Tran / AFP) (Photo by MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty Images)

NBA superstar LeBron James joined the chorus of those criticizing the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade.

James took to Twitter Friday, shortly after a Supreme Court majority voted to return the legality of abortion back to the states, to say the decision was "absolutely about power and control."

In his post, James retweeted a post that said the decision was not "about babies."

"Southern states would be doing all they can to drop the Black maternal mortality rate. This is about power and control," the initial tweet read.

"It’s ABSOLUTELY ABOUT POWER & CONTROL!!" James responded in all-caps.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem celebrated the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade on Friday, saying "today is a wonderful day" on "The Ingraham Angle." 

"Let's remember that today is a wonderful day," Noem started. "Today is a day of good news, something that many people have waited many, many years to have happen, that lives would be saved."

The governor said South Dakota was one of many states to have a so-called "trigger law" that now outlaws abortion, following the ruling.

"In South Dakota, we had a trigger law already in statute, and what it said was that abortions would be illegal except to save the life of a mother at the moment that Roe v. Wade was overturned," she said.

"So as of today, that trigger law goes into effect. And we are focusing a lot on supporting mothers — on supporting individuals who find themselves in an unplanned pregnancy or a crisis situation and making sure that we're connecting them to the resources that we have. "

The LA Police Department says much of the Hollywood Boulevard area has been clear of protests, but "small crowds" are still gathered in the downtown area. 

Abortion protesters held demonstrations across the city following the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade earlier in the day. 

"Continue to stay away from the downtown area," the LAPD tweeted.

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 24: Protesters march northbound on the 110 Freeway to denounce the Supreme Court's decision in the Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health case on June 24, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. The Court's decision in the Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health case overturns the landmark 50-year-old Roe v Wade case, removing a federal right to an abortion. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

Hundreds of pro-choice protesters in Los Angeles blocked traffic while marching on the 110 freeway Friday evening to protest the Supreme Court overturning Roe v Wade.

The Los Angeles Police Department issued a traffic alert for the freeway as people were driving home after the end of the work week.

The department issued alerts for downtown L.A. and Hollywood and Highland where protesters were also blocking traffic.

In the area’s downtown, police issued a dispersal order after 9 p.m. PT when demonstrators began clashing with law enforcement.

Police asked people to stay away from the area. 

The situation outside the Arizona Capitol building in Phoenix remains "very dangerous" despite an effort by law enforcement officers to disperse the crowd of protesters, a lawmaker says..

"Protesters threatened to break the AZ Senate entryway glass," Arizona state senator Wendy Rodgers said.

"Crowd was dispersed with tear gas," the lawmaker added, noting the protests were still continuing. "We are headed to a secure room to go vote."

"Sergeant at Arms says the mob is spray painting monuments and lighting fires," Rodgers also said. "Very dangerous outside."

Arizona Senator Kelly Townsend said abortion protesters are holding her and other lawmakers "hostage" inside the Capitol building in Phoenix. 

"We are currently there being held hostage inside the Senate building due to members of the public trying to breach our security," Townsend tweeted Friday night. "We smell teargas and the children of one of the members are in the office sobbing with fear."

"I expect a J24 committee to be created immediately," she added in the tweet.

Another lawmaker confirmed the use of tear gas outside of the building. 

For more on the story, click here: Arizona abortion protest: Police release tear gas, lawmakers ‘held hostage’ in Senate building

Law enforcement officers in Phoenix have used tear gas to break up a sizable group of protesters outside the Capitol building, an Arizona state representative said.

"While working inside we were interrupted by the sound of bangs and smell of tear gas," Rep. Sarah Liguori tweeted Friday evening. "Protestors cleared from the Capitol."

Earlier in the day, Liguori tweeted she had been speaking with members of her community after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

"I’ve been talking to confused and scared physicians, nurses, and women this morning. Our Supreme Court has failed us all by dismantling a human healthcare right in favor of religious extremism," she said.

Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marty Makary says the definition of when a fetus is considered "viable" — often at the center of the abortion debate — has significantly changed since the Supreme Court first ruled on Roe v. Wade.

Unborn babies are able to feel pain early in their development and "will actually resist the instruments of abortion," Dr. Makary said on "Tucker Carlson Tonight."

This can occur between 15 - 20 weeks of development.

A large group of protesters gathered in Austin, Texas, in solidarity with pro-choice demonstrations across the country Friday.

“Racist, fascist, anti-gay, Christian fascists go away!” the protesters chanted in defiance of Friday's Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v Wade.

Coco Das with Texas Rise Up for Abortion Rights who said she helped organize the protest in the state’s capital, called the decision “illegitimate.”

“I think it’s going against public will, it’s going against forward progress of history, I think it’s taking us back generations."

She added that people voted for Joe Biden in 2020 because “they don’t want to see an end to abortion rights. They don’t want to see these fascists take over society.”

She called on Congress to codify Roe federally and said the country should be “shut down until it’s reversed. I don’t care how it’s reversed but it needs to be taken off the table.”

Victoria Mycue, an Austin resident who was also at the protest, called the Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe “Christian fascists.”

“They have the minority of support in the United States because their views are so extreme, so backwards, and they are dragging us back in history."

She added the justices should be “afraid” because it was “just the beginning of a long fight to get rid of those illegitimate justices.”

She also called Democrats “weak,” “meek,” and "cowards” on the issue. 

ANTIFA protesters marched towards the Supreme Court in Washington D.C. on Friday night following the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade.

"If we don't get it, burn it down," the crowd chanted.

Antifa members in Washington, D.C., threatened to "burn it down" while demonstrating against the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade on Friday. 

Members of the far-left militant movement joined protests in the nation's capital against the court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health. 

"If we don’t get it, burn it down," the demonstrators chanted. In another chant, they said, "Every city, every town, burn the precinct to the ground."

The protesters wore black attire and carried umbrellas, a strategy Antifa has used to shield their identities from the press and law enforcement.

Click here to read more on Fox News

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Friday evening that the StateDepartment remains "fully committed" to helping provide access to reproductive rights around the world.

Blinken said in the statement that he "usually" avoids commenting on Supreme Court rulings, but added that the reversal of Roe v. Wade raises "understandable questions and concerns across the world."

"As Secretary of State, I usually avoid commenting on Supreme Court rulings. But today'sdecision overturning Roe v. Wade has raised understandable questions and concerns across the world and within our workforce," Blinken said. "So let me be clear: under this Administration, the State Department will remain fully committed to helping provide access to reproductive health services and advancing reproductive rights around the world. And this Department will do everything possible to ensure that all our employees have access to reproductive health services, wherever they live.

"We will not waver from this commitment," Blinken said

About eight protesters were seen on Friday night near the residence of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

The protests come after the Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade on Friday.

"F-ck off fascist," one sign at the protest states.

Officers with the U.S. Capitol Police in riot gear are on standby as thousands of people are protesting near the Supreme Court on Friday. (Josh Comins/Fox News Digital)

Officers with the U.S. Capitol Police in riot gear are on standby as thousands of people are protesting near the Supreme Court on Friday.

The protests come after Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court on Friday.

Around the country, protests are expected to take place at many major cities.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security told Fox News that it is working with law enforcement agencies to keep Americans safe.

“Americans’ freedom of speech and right to peacefully protest are fundamental Constitutional rights. Those rights do not extend to violence and other illegal activity. DHS will continue working with our partners across every level of government to share timely information and to support law enforcement efforts to keep our communities safe," the spokesperson said.

Click here to see more pictures on Fox News.

Protesters march in Chicago on Friday evening. (Credit: WFLD)

Chicago police closed a number of streets in the city's Loop on Friday evening as a result of pro-choice protests taking place.

The protests come after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday.

"FYI - streets are temporarily closed around the Loop for ongoing peaceful protest. Avoid the area," the Chicago Police Department tweeted.

Click here to see more pictures on Fox News.

One protester can be seen holding a sign that states "Life goals: Overturn Roe v. Wade." (Credit: David Trulio/Fox News Digital)

Protesters are gathering outside of the Supreme Court following the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

Both pro-life and pro-choice protesters are demonstrating after the Supreme Court decided to reverse Roe v. Wade on Friday.

One protester can be seen holding a sign that states "Life goals: Overturn Roe v. Wade."

Click here to see more pictures on Fox News.

Cheryl Burke is sharing her story.

Following the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the "Dancing with the Stars" pro took to TikTok to speak out.

She captioned the 3-minute video, "I’m saddened by the Supreme Court’s decisions right to overturn #roevwade that guarantees a woman’s right to choose."

In the video Burke told her social media followers, "I am saddened by the news this morning, and it weighs heavy in my heart because I had an abortion when I was 18 years old, and if it wasn’t for places like Planned Parenthood, I would be a mother." 

Click here to read more on Fox News

Former New York City mayor Bill de Blasio was seen on Friday night with protesters who were chanting "the Supreme Court has got to go" along with a group of pro-Choice protesters.

de Blasio was seen on Friday marching with a group of over 4,500 protesting in New York City following the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade.

The former New York City mayor is seeking the Democratic nomination for the state's 10th Congressional District.

A police officer in Cincinnati, Ohio told Fox News that a "solid 800" people showed up for a protest in the downtown area marching to a federal courthouse. (Credit: Andrew Mark Miller/Fox News Digital)

A police officer in Cincinnati, Ohio told Fox News that a "solid 800" people showed up for a protest in the downtown area marching to a federal courthouse.

The protesters are blocking Main Street and people are giving speeches following the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade on Friday.

"Reproductive justice for all," one banner says.

Click here to see more pictures on Fox News.

Pro-choice protesters blocked a street in New York City during a protest following the reversal of Roe v. Wade on Friday by the Supreme Court. (Credit: Jennifer Golotko/Fox News Digital)

Pro-choice protesters blocked a street in New York City during a protest following the reversal of Roe v. Wade on Friday by the Supreme Court.

Protesters blocked Fifth ave. and W 8th St. in New York City on Friday during the pro-choice protest.

The intersection is near Washington Square Park, where more than 500 people showed up for a protest on Friday evening.

Click here to see more pictures on Fox News

Abortion clinics, pregnancy centers, churches and police are ramping up security measures in some areas to brace for the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court's Friday decision overturning Roe v. Wade. 

The high court ruled 6-3 in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization to uphold a Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The Republican-led state of Mississippi asked the Supreme Court to strike down a lower court ruling that stopped the 15-week abortion ban from taking place

The Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center, which was vandalized earlier this month, said it has replaced old security cameras with new ones since the center's building was egged and painted on, Executive Director Janet Durig told Fox News Digital.

Police have also offered the clinic increased protection ever since, including drive-bys that "have probably increased six-fold" and nighttime security guards.

Click here to read more on Fox News

Police in Atlanta, Georgia, have blocked off a portion of a road near the Capitol amid a pro-choice protest after the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade on Friday. (Credit: Denise Dillon/FOX 5 Atlanta)

Police in Atlanta, Georgia, have blocked off a portion of a road near the Capitol amid a pro-choice protest after the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade on Friday.

People attending the protest, which is growing, held signs reading "We won't go back," "Her body, her choice," and "Defend Roe."

According to a reporter from FOX 5 Atlanta, more than 100 people are in attendance at the protest.

Protesters hold a green sign protesting Roe vs. Wade being overturned in New York City. (Peter Gerber/Fox News Digital)

Over 500 people are attending a protest in New York's Washington Square Park following the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday.

"Overturn Roe? H-ll no," one sign reads.

Protests are expected to continue throughout the night in New York City.

Click here to view the full picture gallery on Fox News

The Arkansas Department of Health issued a notice to abortion clinics throughout the state on Friday, warning them that performing an abortion is considered a felony and is punishable by prison time of up to 10 years, according to a reporter with FOX 16.

The letter said that anyone who performs an abortion may also be forced to pay a fine of $100,000.

The letter states that abortions can be performed "to save the life of a pregnant woman in a medical emergency."

Protesters at Union Station. (Picture Credit: Isabella Redjai/ Fox News)

Hundreds of people are attending a pro-choice protest at Union Station in Washington, D.C. on Friday following the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade.

The protest at Union Station is featuring speakers such as Rep. Ilhan Omar. D-Minn.

"In almost half of this country, states are ready to ban abortion. Outright ban abortion. That means if you are sick, if you are raped, there is incest, you are forced to have that baby or die," Omar said.

(Picture Credit: Isabella Redjai/ Fox News)

A man climbed the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C. on Friday to protest the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

The man, who has revealed himself on Twitter as Guido Reichstadter, began climbing the bridge at around 11 a.m., according to FOX 5 DC. While the man was on the bridge, traffic came to a halt while officials tried to contact the man.

A large inflatable was placed under the demonstrator at around 12 p.m.

Reichstadter posted on Twitter while on top of the bridge at 3:24 p.m., stating "Let's shut it down nonviolently day after day after day till out [sic] rights are protected." The archway is 70 feet tall.

Click here to read more on Fox News

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge certified a trigger law passed in 2019 which bans abortion throughout the state.

It went into effect on Friday as the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

"I am proud to announce, as chief legal officer for the state of Arkansas, that the United States Supreme Court has in fact overruled Roe versus Wade and Planned Parenthood versus Casey, thereby restoring the state of Arkansas the authority to prohibit abortions," Rutledge said during a press conference on Thursday.

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 24: People protest in response to the Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 24, 2022 in Washington, DC. The Court's decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health overturns the landmark 50-year-old Roe v Wade case and erases a federal right to an abortion. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

As the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, Chief Justice John Roberts agreed with the majority in upholding a Mississippi law restricting abortion, but wanted to stop short of overturning Roe itself.

The high court ruled 6-3 in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, to uphold a Mississippi law that banned abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The Republican-led state of Mississippi asked the Supreme Court to strike down a lower court ruling that stopped the 15-week abortion ban from taking place.

However, while concurring with the majority in upholding the Mississippi law, Roberts was critical of his colleagues in taking the additional step of overturning both Roe and the 1992 Casey v Planned Parenthood decision.

"We end this opinion where we began. Abortion presents a profound moral question. The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion. Roe and Casey arrogated that authority. We now overrule those decisions and return that authority to the people and their elected representatives," Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the court's opinion.

But Roberts, in his separate concurrence, said he would take "a more measured course." He faults Roe and says its "viability" standard -- whereby a woman is said to have a right to an abortion until the fetus is deemed to be able to survive outside the uterus -- set by Roe should be discarded ("That line never made any sense") and the right to an abortion "should therefore extend far enough to ensure a reasonable opportunity to choose, but need not extend any further -- certainly not all the way to viability."

Read more by Fox News' Adam Shaw: Roberts wanted Supreme Court to stop short of overturning Roe v. Wade

"Our Rights DC" is planning a protest outside Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ house this evening. 

The group posted on Twitter urging activists to meet them at 6:0pm to carpool to the Thomas; street. 

“Wear a mask," they wrote in the message with the hashtag "#RuthSentUs."

President Biden on Friday urged "everyone, no matter how deeply they care about this decision, to keep all protests peaceful, peaceful, peaceful, peaceful." 

"No intimidation. Violence is never acceptable," Biden stressed. "Threats and intimidation are not speech. We must stand against violence in any form regardless your rationale."

The president's plea for peaceful protests come amid promises from a pro-choice extremist group, "Jane's Revenge," to deliver a "NIGHT OF RAGE" if the court overturns Roe v. Wade.

The Supreme Court of the United States voted to overturn Roe v. Wade on Friday.

Celebrities reacted to the decision via social media with Alyssa Milano saying it will have "deadly consequences" and Elizabeth Banks calling it "devastating news."

"Today’s Supreme Court ruling overturning #RoeVsWade will have deadly consequences, with the harm falling hardest on people of color who already face disproportionate discrimination in our country and grapple with a severe maternal mortality crisis," Milano wrote.

She added: "Banning abortion will disproportionately impact people of color, LGBTQ+ communities, people struggling to make ends meet, young people, and those living in rural areas."

Click here to read more on Fox News

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis praised the Supreme Court's decision on abortion, saying it "answered the prayers" of millions of Americans.

"By properly interpreting the Constitution, the Supreme Court has answered the prayers of millions upon millions of Americans," DeSantis wrote in a tweet.

President Biden on Friday urged Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade by codifying abortion rights into federal law after the Supreme Court Friday overturned the landmark decision, while urging protesters to remain peaceful and saying "violence is never acceptable."

The president, from the White House Friday, slammed the high court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which protected "a woman’s right to choose" and "her right to make intensely personal decisions with her doctor, free from interference of politics." 

Biden said Roe v. Wade "reaffirmed basic principles of equality that women have the power to control their own destiny, and to reinforce the fundamental right of privacy." 

The president also said Roe v. Wade "was a correct decision" on a "complex matter through a careful balance between a woman’s right to choose." 

"Let me be very clear and unambiguous: the only way we can secure a woman’s right to choose—the balance that existed—is for Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade as federal law," Biden said. "No executive action from the president can do that."

The president said voters "need to make their voices heard" in November’s midterm elections, saying they "must elect more senators, representatives who will codify a woman’s right to choose in the federal law once again." 

Read more by Fox News' Brooke Singman: Biden calls on Congress to restore Roe v. Wade protections as federal law: 'This is not over'

Prominent campaign committees for both Democrats and Republicans are at odds with how the Supreme Court's ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade will impact the upcoming midterm elections amid rising inflation, crime, and high fuel costs.

The Friday ruling, which was made in the court's opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, came more than a month after a leaked draft opinion from Justice Samuel Alito suggested the court would overturn federal protections for abortion.

In a series of statements released from the committees after the ruling, it is clear that Democrats will use the decision to their advantage in the midterm elections.

Read more by Fox News' Kyle Morris and Kate Ahlborn: Democrats to make abortion ruling central to 2022 midterms, Republicans insist voters more focused on economy

French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted Friday after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

"Abortion is a fundamental right for all women. It must be protected. I wish to express my solidarity with the women whose liberties are being undermined by the Supreme Court of the United States."

"Nothing is more important to me or to this Department than the health and well-being of our Service members, the civilian workforce and DOD families," said Austin in a statement Friday.

"I am committed to taking care of our people and ensuring the readiness and resilience of our Force. The Department is examining this decision closely and evaluating our policies to ensure we continue to provide seamless access to reproductive health care as permitted by federal law."

Planned Parenthood for America President Alexis McGill Johnson, in a video posted to Twitter Friday, slammed the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

"The United States Supreme Court just told us we are not free," she said. "By overturning Roe v. Wade, they have stolen our constitutional right. Our right to self-determination, our right to control our own bodies, our right to freedom, our right to abortion."

"However they justify it, this is about power and control. Power and control that was once ours will now belong to state politicians," she said.

She stressed, though, that "abortion is still legal in many states and Planned Parenthood will do whatever we can to get you the care you need. And we will not stop fighting."

"We will secure abortion access for all," she said. "Free from bans or restrictions, free from shame and stigma. No court or state will make us compromise our body, our dignity, or our freedom."

She stressed that at Planned Parenthood, "we know that you should control your personal medical decisions. Not politicians."

"We know banning abortion doesn’t stop abortion. It just makes it harder to access," she continued. "So let me be clear: this won’t stop us."

UNITED STATES - JUNE 24: A large group of House Democrats speak in front of the Supreme Court following the Dobbs v Jackson Womens Health Organization decision overturning Roe v Wade was handed down at the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday, June 24, 2022. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., pledged to defy and protest the Supreme Court following its decision Friday overturning Roe v. Wade.

"You ain't seen nothing yet," Waters said from the steps of the court. "Women are going to control their bodies no matter how they try and stop us. The hell with the Supreme Court. We will defy them. Women will be in control of their bodies. And if they think black women are intimidated or afraid, they got another thought coming."

"Black women will be out in droves," she continued. "We will be out by the thousands, we will be out by the millions. We are going to make sure we fight by the right to control."

Read more by Fox News' Thomas Catenacci: Maxine Waters reacts to Dobbs ruling: 'The hell with the Supreme Court. We will defy them'

WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES - JUNE 24: Abortion rights demonstrators hold signs outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., United States on June 24, 2022. A deeply divided Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and wiped out the constitutional right to abortion, issuing a historic ruling likely to render the procedure largely illegal in half the country. (Photo by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

EXCLUSIVE: Top Senate Republicans are demanding action by the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security after the Supreme Court ruled Friday to overturn Roe v. Wade, which is likely to prompt abortion-related activist violence across the country.T

he Supreme Court ruled Friday in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Last month, a leaked draft opinion which indicated the court would overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that established a federal right to an abortion, led to attacks on pro-life centers and threats to the conservative justices.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee and Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, ranking member on the and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committees write to Attorney General Merrick Garland and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in a Thursday letter to step up take action to protect justices and places of worship in light of the decision.

"Over the past few weeks, in the wake of the unprecedented leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion, there has been a disturbing rise in threats against Supreme Court Justices and the Court itself. Justices have had their addresses published online, have been subjected to illegal pressure campaigns at their family homes, and one Justice was even the victim of an attempted assassination," write the senators.

Read more by Fox News' Kelly Laco: GOP senators urge DOJ, DHS to take action to prevent abortion-related extremist violence after Roe overturned

Pro-life and pro-choice protestors reacted to the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade Friday.

Fox News' Lisa Bennatan captured their initial reactions.

WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES - JUNE 24: Abortion rights demonstrators hold signs outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., United States on June 24, 2022. A deeply divided Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and wiped out the constitutional right to abortion, issuing a historic ruling likely to render the procedure largely illegal in half the country. (Photo by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

The D.C. National Guard says it does not have request for assistance from the D.C. government, but "remains ready" if it receives DOD-approved request.

Fox News' Liz Friden contributed to this report.

In the minutes after the Supreme Court’s blockbuster opinion on Friday that overturned the nearly half century old landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide, Democrats instantly reacted.

"Today’s Supreme Court ruling is the culmination of a coordinated Republican effort to attack this fundamental freedom – but Democrats will fight back with every tool we can, and voters of every political persuasion will hold the GOP accountable in 2022," the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Democratic Governors Association, and other Democratic committees vowed in a statement.

"Make no mistake: The Republican Party will not stop at overturning Roe. The 2022 election will now determine whether new, cruel, and punishing restrictions will be put in place on women and families," the Democratic committees charged.

Reaction came quickly on the campaign trail.

Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, who’s being targeted by Republicans as she faces a challenging reelection in a crucial swing state in November’s midterm elections, stressed that "the danger now facing women and our country is real and it is grave."

"In denying a woman the right to make her own decisions free from the interference of politicians, the Supreme Court has sent us back 50 years," the senator emphasized.

Read more by Fox News' Paul Steinhauser: Democrats react swiftly to SCOTUS Roe v. Wade ruling, but will abortion upend the midterm elections?

The Supreme Court on Friday issued its long-awaited, and previously leaked opinion, overturning Roe v. Wade -- effectively ending recognition of a constitutional right to abortion and giving individual states the power to regulate and restrict the practice.

The ruling came in the court's opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which centered on a Mississippi law that banned abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

The Republican-led state of Mississippi asked the Supreme Court to strike down a lower court ruling that stopped the 15-week abortion ban from taking place.Justice Samuel Alito penned the opinion. Here are 10 of the key quotes from Alito’s opinion.

Alito details how abortion was viewed pre-Roe

Roe ‘egregiously wrong,’ deepened division

Alito argues against confusion 14th Amendment with own views

Alito dismisses claim decision will lead to reversals on same-sex marriage, contraception

Court not allowed to impose its own ‘theory of life’ on the nation

Alito says Roe decision ‘usurped’ power

Roe ‘relies on an erroneous historical narrative’

Alito emphasizes democratic consequences of Dobbs

Alito says he does not know how the US will respond to Dobbs

The opinion concludes.

Read more by Fox News' Adam Shaw: 10 key quotes from Justice Alito's opinion overturning Roe v. Wade

UNITED STATES - JUNE 24: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., walks back to the Capitol after speaking in front of the Supreme Court following the Dobbs v Jackson Womens Health Organization decision overturning Roe v Wade was handed down at the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday, June 24, 2022. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez walks back to the U.S. Capitol after speaking in front of the Supreme Court.

The Democratic congresswoman from New York tweeted that "Overturning Roe and outlawing abortions will never make them go away."

"It only makes them more dangerous, especially for the poor + marginalized. People will die because of this decision. And we will never stop until abortion rights are restored in the United States of America."

The Supreme Court's decision today ends recognition of a constitutional right to abortion and gives individual states the power to regulate and restrict the practice.

Pro-life advocates are overjoyed after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, giving states precedent over abortion rights. Pro-life advocates held signs calling to "end abortion violence."

Republicans and Democrats had polar opposite reactions to the Supreme Court's decision Friday in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, which overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, sending the issue back to the states. (Getty Images)

Republicans and Democrats had polar opposite reactions to the Supreme Court's decision Friday in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, which overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, sending the issue back to the states.

"We end this opinion where we began. Abortion presents a profound moral question. The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion. Roe and Casey arrogated that authority. We now overrule those decisions and return that authority to the people and their elected representatives," Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the court's opinion.

Reactions to the ruling were sharply divided along party lines. 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said that the "Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Dobbs is courageous and correct."

"This is an historic victory for the Constitution and for the most vulnerable in our society," he said in a statement.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called Friday "one of the darkest days our country has ever seen."

"Millions upon millions of American women are having their rights taken from them by five unelected Justices on the extremist MAGA court," Schumer added.

Read more by Fox News' Houston Keene: Republicans rejoice, Democrats rage after Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade

Marjorie Taylor Greene says the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade is going to "protect life."

An angry protestor carrying the U.S. flag continued to scream "my body my choice" in response to the decision.

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 08: U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Attorney General Merrick Garland said that the Department of Justice "strongly disagrees" with the Supreme Court, and that it delivered a "devastating blow" to reproductive freedoms in America.

“Today, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey and held that the right to abortion is no longer protected by the Constitution."

“The Supreme Court has eliminated an established right that has been an essential component of women’s liberty for half a century – a right that has safeguarded women’s ability to participate fully and equally in society. And in renouncing this fundamental right, which it had repeatedly recognized and reaffirmed, the Court has upended the doctrine of stare decisis, a key pillar of the rule of law."

“The Justice Department strongly disagrees with the Court’s decision. This decision deals a devastating blow to reproductive freedom in the United States. It will have an immediate and irreversible impact on the lives of people across the country. And it will be greatly disproportionate in its effect – with the greatest burdens felt by people of color and those of limited financial means." 

NASHVILLE, TN - JUNE 17: Former U.S. President Donald Trump gives the keynote address at the Faith & Freedom Coalition during their annual "Road To Majority Policy Conference" at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center June 17, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. Trump's appearance comes on the heels of the third public hearing by the House committee investigating the attack on our U.S. Capitol. (Photo by Seth Herald/Getty Images)

EXCLUSIVE: Former President Trump praised the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade Friday, telling Fox News that the ruling "will work out for everybody."

"This is following the Constitution, and giving rights back when they should have been given long ago," Trump told Fox News.

When asked if he had a message for any of his supporters who may be pro-choice, Trump told Fox News: "I think, in the end, this is something that will work out for everybody.""This brings everything back to the states where it has always belonged," Trump said.

When asked whether he feels he played a role in the reversal of Roe v. Wade, after having appointed three conservative justices to the high court, the former president told Fox News: "God made the decision."

Read more by Fox News' Brooke Singman: Trump praises Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, says ruling 'will work out for everybody'

Fox News' chief legal correspondent Shannon Bream details the Supreme Court's ruling striking down Roe v. Wade Friday.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., compared the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade to decisions legitimizing slavery and concentration camps.

"The reversal of Roe will be recorded in the history books in the same nauseous tones as decisions like Dred Scott, Korematsu, Plessy, and Buck," she tweeted.

"This is an institution that has legitimized slavery, concentration camps, and eugenics."

"This decision is the same."

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who serves as the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee and as president pro tempore emeritus of the Senate praised the Supreme Court's decision Friday.

“Today’s decision recognized that the weak legal reasoning in Roe v. Wade has done more to provoke conflict than to resolve it, as the late Justice Ginsburg observed. In a meticulous and well-reasoned opinion, the court dispensed with a flawed precedent, as it has rightly done in landmark decisions throughout history."

“For many Americans, including myself, this decision is about far more than correcting a flawed legal analysis in Roe; it means that the rights of the unborn are no longer in jeopardy by our federal government. Our nation was founded on the fundamental principle we are endowed by our creator with the unalienable right to life – a right that must be protected."

“This ruling does not ban the practice of abortion but instead empowers the people, through their accountable elected representatives to make commonsense policy decisions. It takes policymaking out of the hands of unelected judges."

“Regardless of your views on this issue, or any other issue for that matter, we all should respect the role of our impartial judiciary and the decisions that it renders. We’re blessed to live in a country where the people play a leading role in how we are governed. The people can advocate for policy priorities in the public square, the halls of Congress and at the ballot box, as so many pro-life Americans have done throughout the past five decades. Seeking to intimidate or attack the court or undermine its credibility because of an outcome that you don’t support is not the answer.”

Former President Obama on Friday slammed the Supreme Court for having "not only reversed nearly 50 years of precedent," but having "relegated the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues—attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans."

Obama posted an image on his tweet that urged Americans to "join with the activists who’ve been sounding the alarm on abortion access for years--and act."

"Stand with them at a local protest. Volunteer with one of their organizations," the post states. "Knock on doors for a candidate you believe in. Vote on or before November.8 and in every other election."

"Because in the end, if we want judges who will protect all, and not just some, of our rights, then we’ve got to elect officials committed to doing the same."

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 24: Abortion-rights activist Carrie McDonald react to the Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 24, 2022 in Washington, DC. The Court's decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health overturns the landmark 50-year-old Roe v Wade case and erases a federal right to an abortion. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Thirteen states in the country are poised to enact immediate abortion bans and at least 13 more could quickly follow suit after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday, leaving abortion rights up to the states to decide.

At least 13 states in the country have so-called "trigger laws" banning most abortions that will take effect immediately or within weeks of Roe v. Wade being overturned. 

According to the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion rights research group, those states are Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming, which just passed its trigger law in April.

There are also five additional states – Alabama, Arizona, Michigan, West Virginia and Wisconsin – that still have an abortion ban on the books from before Roe v. Wade that will go into effect now that the 1973 landmark law is overturned. 

Read more by Fox News' Jessica Chasmar: More than 2 dozen states to restrict abortions after Roe v Wade overturned in Dobbs decision

Former Vice President Mike Pence celebrated the court's decision in Dobbs Friday, overturning the constitutional right to an abortion.

“Today, Life Won. By overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court of the United States has given the American people a new beginning for life, and I commend the justices in the majority for having the courage of their convictions."

“By returning the question of abortion to the states and to the people, this Supreme Court has righted an historic wrong and reaffirmed the right of the American people to govern themselves at the state level in a manner consistent with their values and aspirations."

“Now that Roe v. Wade has been consigned to the ash heap of history, a new arena in the cause of life has emerged, and it is incumbent on all who cherish the sanctity of life to resolve that we will take the defense of the unborn and the support for women in crisis pregnancy centers to every state in America."

”Having been given this second chance for Life, we must not rest and must not relent until the sanctity of life is restored to the center of American law in every state in the land.” 

While red states in roughly half the country are poised to ban most abortions following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, many blue states have already moved to protect abortion rights and expand access ahead of Friday's Supreme Court decision overturning the landmark 1973 law.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion rights research group, at least 16 states and Washington, D.C., have existing laws that protect abortion, and at least 11 Democrat-controlled legislatures have moved to expand abortion access in anticipation of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization on Friday, which overturned Roe v. Wade and left the question of abortion up to the states to decide.

Some blue states like Illinois and New York established abortion as a fundamental right in recent years, but others have ramped up efforts to enshrine abortion rights into their state constitutions in recent months. Democratic governors in Colorado and New Jersey signed laws codifying abortion, and Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom has pledged to support a constitutional amendment for voters to decide.

In Vermont, Democratic lawmakers passed a constitutional amendment in February to guarantee the right to an abortion, which voters will decide this November.

Democratic governors in states with Republican majority legislatures, like Michigan and Wisconsin, have voiced opposition to the anti-abortion laws in their states. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer filed a lawsuit in April asking the Michigan Supreme Court to stop enforcement of the state’s 1931 abortion ban, and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has called for the repeal of an 1849 state law that makes abortion a felony.

Read more by Fox News' Jessica Chasmar: Abortion rights to expand in blue states after Roe v Wade overturned in Dobbs decision

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday said the "Republican-controlled" Supreme Court "achieved the GOP’s dark and extreme goal of ripping away women’s right to make their own reproductive health decisions."

Blaming former President Trump, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the Republican Party, and its "supermajority" on the high court, Pelosi said "American women today have less freedom than their mothers."

“With Roe now out of their way, radical Republicans are charging ahead with their crusade to criminalize health freedom," she said in a statement, warning that in Congress "Republicans are plotting a nationwide abortion ban."

"In the states, Republicans want to arrest doctors for offering reproductive care and women for terminating a pregnancy," she warned. "GOP extremists are even threatening to criminalize contraception, as well as in-vitro fertilization and post-miscarriage care."

“A woman’s fundamental health decisions are her own to make, in consultation with her doctor and her loved ones – not to be dictated by far-right politicians," Pelosi said. "While Republicans seek to punish and control women, Democrats will keep fighting ferociously to enshrine Roe v. Wade into law."

"This cruel ruling is outrageous and heart-wrenching," she continued. "But make no mistake: the rights of women and all Americans are on the ballot this November.”

https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/franklin-graham-faith-scotus-abortion-ruling

The Supreme Court of the United States has handed down a ruling on Friday, June 24, 2022, voting to overturn Roe v. Wade and the subsequent case, Planned Parenthood v. Casey. 

The Friday ruling gives states the power to set their own abortion laws. The Roe ruling had for nearly half a century permitted abortions in the first two trimesters of pregnancy.

Strong faith-based reaction is coming in from a variety of individuals and corners.

Speaking first to Fox News Digital about his reaction, Christian evangelist Rev. Franklin Graham, the CEO and president of Samaritan's Purse as well as the CEO and president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, said on Friday morning, "The United States Supreme Court just announced one of the most significant rulings in my lifetime — officially voting to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision because it was ‘egregiously wrong from the start,’ as stated by Justice Samuel Alito." 

Rev. Graham added, "The radical left is calling for a ‘night of rage,’ pregnancy centers are already being vandalized and attacked, and our U.S. Supreme Court justices are being targeted with threats and intimidation."

Read more by Fox News' Maureen Mackey: Rev. Franklin Graham, other faith leaders react to 'significant' SCOTUS abortion ruling

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., slammed the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade Friday.

"Today is one of the darkest days our country has ever seen," he wrote in a tweet.

"American women are having their rights taken by 5 unelected Justices on the extremist MAGA court...These justices—appointed by Republicans and presiding without accountability—have stolen the fundamental right to abortion."

In response to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, DNC Chair Jaime Harrison, DSCC Chair Gary Peters, DCCC Chair Sean Patrick Maloney, DGA Chair Roy Cooper, DAGA Co-Chairs Aaron Ford and Kathy Jennings, DLCC Chair Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Democratic Mayors Association President Levar M. Stoney issued the following joint statement: 

“Democrats believe women in America have the right to make their own health care decisions, and that politicians should never get in the way of these private decisions," they wrote. "Today’s Supreme Court ruling is the culmination of a coordinated Republican effort to attack this fundamental freedom – but Democrats will fight back with every tool we can, and voters of every political persuasion will hold the GOP accountable in 2022."  

“Make no mistake: The Republican Party will not stop at overturning Roe," they added.

The Democrats said the 2022 midterm elections "will now determine whether new, cruel, and punishing restrictions will be put in place on women and families."

"With Republicans in power, states could make abortion illegal without exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother, and women and doctors could be charged with a crime if they have or perform an abortion," they warned.

“The stakes of November’s elections could not be higher – and voters will make their voices heard by standing with Democrats up and down the ballot.”

Anti-abortion demonstrator hug outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on June 24, 2022. - The US Supreme Court on Friday ended the right to abortion in a seismic ruling that shreds half a century of constitutional protections on one of the most divisive and bitterly fought issues in American political life. The conservative-dominated court overturned the landmark 1973 "Roe v Wade" decision that enshrined a woman's right to an abortion and said individual states can permit or restrict the procedure themselves. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Minutes after the Supreme Court's ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt issued an opinion "triggering" part of a state bill that ends abortion.

According to Schmitt's office, Missouri is the first state in the nation to do so. The opinion outlaws abortion in the state except in cases of medial emergency.

“Today, following the United States Supreme Court’s ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, with the issuance of an attorney general opinion, my Office has yet again reinforced Missouri’s dedication to protecting the sanctity of life, both born and unborn. With this attorney general opinion, my Office has effectively ended abortion in Missouri, becoming the first state in the country to do so following the Court’s ruling,” said Attorney General Schmitt.

“My Office has been fighting to uphold the sanctity of life since I became attorney general, culminating in today’s momentous court ruling and attorney general opinion. I will continue the fight to protect all life, born and unborn.”

Anti-abortion rights and abortion rights demonstrators hold signs outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., US, on Friday, June 24, 2022. A deeply divided Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and wiped out the constitutional right to abortion, issuing a historic ruling likely to render the procedure largely illegal in half the country. Photographer: Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., issued a statement applauding the Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade.

“The Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Dobbs is courageous and correct. This is an historic victory for the Constitution and for the most vulnerable in our society."

“For 50 years, states have been unable to enact even modest protections for unborn children. More than 90% of Europe restricts abortion on demand after 15 weeks, but every state in America has been forced to allow it more than a month past that, after a baby can feel pain, yawn, stretch, and suck his or her thumb. Judicial activists declared that every state had to handle abortion like China and North Korea and no state could handle it like France or Germany."

“Not anymore. Now the American people get their voice back."

"The Court has corrected a terrible legal and moral error, like when Brown v. Board overruled Plessy v. Ferguson. The Justices applied the Constitution. They carefully weighed the complex factors regarding precedent. The Court overturned mistaken rulings that even liberals have long admitted were incoherent, restoring the separation of powers. I commend the Court for its impartiality in the face of attempted intimidation."

“Democrats’ disgraceful attacks on the Court have echoed Democrats’ outrage at Brown v. Board in 1954. Today’s Democrats are jaw-droppingly extreme on abortion. 97% of Washington Democrats support legislation that would effectively require nine months of abortion on demand until the moment of birth. Only 19% of Americans share this radical view but 97% of Democrats in Congress embrace it. They would rather attack our institutions than let the American people enact the reasonable protections they want."

“Millions of Americans have spent half a century praying, marching, and working toward today’s historic victories for the rule of law and for innocent life. I have been proud to stand with them throughout our long journey and I share their joy today.”

In their dissenting minority opinion Friday, Supreme Court Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan wrote that Roe and Casey "understood the difficulty and divisiveness of the abortion issue," and by overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, a woman "has no rights to speak of."

"The Court knew that Americans hold profoundly different views about the 'moral[ity]' of 'terminating a pregnancy, even in its earliest stage,'" they wrote. "And the Court recognized that 'the State has legitimate interests from the outset of the pregnancy in protecting' the 'life of the fetus that may become a child.'"

"So the Court struck a balance, as it often does when values and goals compete," they wrote. "It held that the State could prohibit abortions after fetal viability, so long as the ban contained exceptions to safeguard a woman’s life or health."

"It held that even before viability, the State could regulate the abortion procedure in multiple and meaningful ways. But until the viability line was crossed, the Court held, a State could not impose a 'substantial obstacle' on a woman’s 'right to elect the procedure' as she (not the government) thought proper, in light of all the circumstances and complexities of her own life," they continued.

"Today, the Court discards that balance," they wrote. "It says that from the very moment of fertilization, a woman has no rights to speak of."

The justices wrote that with overturning Roe v. Wade, a state can now "force" a woman to bring "a pregnancy to term, even at the steepest personal and familial costs."

"An abortion restriction, the majority holds, is permissible whenever rational, the lowest level of scrutiny known to the law. And because, as the Court has often stated, protecting fetal life is rational, States will feel free to enact all manner of restrictions," they wrote.

The justices also reference states with strict abortion laws, like Mississippi, which bans abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy.

"Under the majority’s ruling, though, another State’s law could do so after ten weeks, or five or three or one—or, again, from the moment of fertilization," they wrote. "States have already passed such laws, in anticipation of today’s ruling. More will follow."

"Some States have enacted laws extending to all forms of abortion procedure, including taking medication in one’s own home," they continued. "They have passed laws without any exceptions for when the woman is the victim of rape or incest. Under those laws, a woman will have to bear her rapist’s child or a young girl her father’s—no matter if doing so will destroy her life."

"States may even argue that a prohibition on abortion need make no provision for protecting a woman from risk of death or physical harm," they wrote. "Across a vast array of circumstances, a State will be able to impose its moral choice on a woman and coerce her to give birth to a child.”

"With sorrow--for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection--we dissent," they wrote.

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 24: Pro-life activists react to the Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling which overturns the landmark abortion Roe v. Wade case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 24, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The top GOP leaders in the House of Representatives responded to the Supreme Court's decision Friday overturning Roe v. Wade.

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., House Republican Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., and House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., praised the Supreme Court for being "right."

“Every unborn child is precious, extraordinary, and worthy of protection. We applaud this historic ruling, which will save countless innocent lives." 

“The Supreme Court is right to return the power to protect the unborn to the people’s elected representatives in Congress and the states. In the days and weeks following this decision, we must work to continue to reject extreme policies that seek to allow late-term abortions and taxpayer dollars to fund these elective procedures." 

“The people’s representatives must defend the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for every American - born and unborn. As we celebrate today's decision, we recognize the decades of advocacy from the pro-life movement and we acknowledge much work remains to protect the most vulnerable among us."

In the majority opinion, Justice Samuel Alito writes:

"We end this opinion where we began. Abortion presents a profound moral question. The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion. Roe and Casey arrogated that authority. We now overrule those decisions and return that authority to the people and their elected representatives."