Trump administration slaps abortion gag rule on family planning clinics, effective immediately

Striking while the courts are in its favor, the Trump administration is beginning enforcement of its abortion gag rule. Effective immediately, family planning clinics that receive federal funding—including and most importantly Planned Parenthood—cannot refer women for abortions under the the rule.

The administration will have a conference with clinics Tuesday, but the Department of Health and Human Services informed clinics formally on Monday that it would start enforcing the ban as well as a "requirement that clinics maintain separate finances from facilities that provide abortions." Next year it plans to add another restriction, forcing clinics to have abortion services housed in separate facilities.

Planned Parenthood President Leana Wen wants patients to know that "our doors are still open" and that they are continuing to work with other groups to overturn those regulations in the federal courts. "We will not stop fighting for all those across the country in need of essential care," she said. Clare Coleman, president of the umbrella group National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, added that "the administration's actions show its intent is to further an ideological agenda."

That's an anti-woman, anti-health agenda.