A midwife in Texas has been arrested for operating a network of illegal abortion clinics in the northeast Houston area, in violation of the state’s strict anti-abortion laws. Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, was charged with performing illegal abortions, a second-degree felony under Texas law, according to the state attorney general.
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Rojas, also known as “Dr Maria”, was apprehended in Waller County and additionally faces charges of practising medicine without a licence. An investigation led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s law enforcement division uncovered that she owned several clinics, including Clinica Waller Latinoamericana, Clinica Latinoamericana Telge in Cypress, and Latinoamericana Medical Clinic in Spring. These facilities were allegedly staffed by unlicensed individuals who posed as medical professionals, performing treatments without legal credentials.
According to investigators, Rojas herself also carried out illegal abortion procedures, contravening the Texas Human Life Protection Act. This makes her the first individual to be criminally charged under the near-total abortion ban introduced in Texas. In response to her arrest, Attorney General Paxton filed for a temporary restraining order to close Rojas’s clinics, preventing further unlawful activity.
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Paxton expressed his firm stance on the issue, stating: “In Texas, life is sacred. I will always work to protect the unborn and ensure that those who violate our pro-life laws are held accountable.” Rojas was released on a $10,000 bond on 7 March, after being booked into Waller County Jail the day prior.
