On Sunday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said her state will be a “safe harbor” for those seeking abortions after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade Friday.
While appearing on MSNBC’s “The Sunday Show,” Hochul explained that she has designated $35 million to abortion providers to ramp up their services as a flood of people coming to New York is expected.
We’re going to get a flood of people. I have declared this as our safe harbor,” Hochul said.
“This is where we have the Statue of Liberty welcoming people who are oppressed. Women who cannot receive the fundamental right to control their body or receive an abortion. They are oppressed. They are welcomed here in the state of New York,” the governor continued.
She noted that she signed legislation a week ago that will protect providers from being sued if patients come from out-of-state for an abortion.
“This is New York. These rights are not going away. This is a place where we had abortion access three years before Roe v. Wade,” Hochul said.
“Roe v. Wade is now a part of our state law, but we’re looking to find any other ways we can strengthen. We protected our providers. We gave them immunity already,” she added.
The Supreme Court’s ruling Friday said that the Constitution does not protect a woman’s right to an abortion. The decision was handed back to states to make.
Hochul questioned whether that means more federal government overreach when it comes to reproductive issues. “It is reprehensible that we have to have this conversation. Is this a police state? Is this where we cherish people’s freedoms?” she said.
“Or are we going to have government telling us what to do not just in our bedrooms and maybe take away the access to even contraception which they telegraphed they would do. This is not wild speculation on our part. They said they would do that,” she continued.
Hochul also blamed Donald Trump, who’s able to appoint three individuals to the Supreme Court during his four years in office.
“This is going to be a motivation to people who were complacent in the past. We saw what happens when you get a Donald Trump in and three Supreme Court justices who should not be there. This is a direct correlation to people exercising their right to vote,” she said.