A Honduran immigrant died because of an abortion ban, activists speak out

The death of Honduran immigrant Josseli Barnica in 2021 is on the news lately, because her death serves as a reminder of what abortion bans can do.

Even though her death occurred before the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the Texas law that prevented Barnica from receiving the care she needed was the inspiration behind Dobbs vs. Jackson. 

Texas law SB 8 circumvented Roe v. Wade by allowing anyone to sue doctors if they performed an abortion after six weeks for $10,000. People could also sue anyone who “aided and abetted” an abortion.

“We are outraged by the death of Josseli Barnica because of Texas’ medically unnecessary abortion ban,” said Lucy Ceballos Felix, Texas associate director for the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. “Josseli was denied miscarriage care for 40 hours because of the confusion surrounding Texas’ ban, SB 8, which went into effect just 7 days before her death. As we mourn Josseli’s death, we acknowledge there are likely many more pregnant people who died at the hands of Texas’ ban, whose names we do not know.”

Ceballos Felix said the Texas law was the blueprint for the Dobbs decision and has “done horrific damage to our communities”

According to the associate director, abortion bans disproportionately impact Latinas/xs and immigrants.