In a letter sent to U.S. congressional leadership Tuesday, Attorney General Steve Marshall joined 15 other Republican attorneys general in urging Congress to override state-level “shield laws” that protect people seeking and facilitating out-of-state abortion care.
They argue that these laws interfere with pro-life states’ abilities to enforce their criminal laws and also violate constitutional provisions such as the Full Faith and Credit Clause and the Extradition Clause. The letter frames these shield laws as part of a legal conflict between states that criminalize abortion and those that protect access to it.
“When New York or California refuses to respect a criminal prosecution or civil judgement against an individual who is accused of violating the abortion laws of another State, they are refusing to give full faith and credit to that State’s judicial proceedings,” the letter reads.
The push comes amid an effort by some Republican-led states to extend their reach beyond their borders in pursuit of those who aid or obtain abortions elsewhere. Marshall’s support for federal legislation to block shield laws shows a pattern in his approach to reproductive rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
Soon after the Dobbs decision, Alabama’s near-total abortion ban went into effect, and Marshall quickly signaled that his office would go further than simply prosecuting in-state abortions.
In interviews, Marshall warned that groups promoting themselves as abortion funders could face felony charges. The threats were widely interpreted as an attempt to intimidate abortion rights groups into halting their operations.
For nearly three years, the Yellowhammer Fund suspended its abortion-related services, citing fears of criminal prosecution. In 2023, Yellowhammer Fund and the West Alabama Women’s Center sued Marshall in federal court, alleging that his threats violated their constitutional rights to free speech, association and interstate travel.
The case culminated in a ruling in March 2025. U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson sided with the plaintiffs and blocked Marshall from prosecuting individuals or organizations that help others access lawful abortions in other states.
This call for federal intervention against shield laws proves his continued commitment to pursuing legal avenues that pressure abortion rights groups and restrict access, even in states where abortion remains legal.
“Instead of allowing pro-abortion States to disrespect the decisions of other States regarding abortion and trample the Constitution, Congress should address whether it should tackle this issue head on with legislation that preempts state shield laws,” the letter reads.
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