Council member wants Alvin to be sanctuary for unborn: 'I'd like to see abortion completely banned'

ALVIN, Texas (KTRK) -- Alvin city council members will take up an agenda item Thursday to create a sanctuary city for the unborn.

"What we're trying to do is be as pro-life as possible," said Joel Castro, the council member behind the ordinance.

The 22-year-old said Texas' recent anti-abortion law, banning abortions starting around six weeks into pregnancy, does not go far enough.

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"For me, I would like to see abortion completely banned," said Castro.

The ordinance not only declares Alvin as a sanctuary city for the unborn, which would ban abortion procedures, but it also declares abortion-inducing drugs as contraband. The ordinance also urges the Brazoria County district attorney to prosecute anyone who aids or abets an abortion including drivers, organizations and individuals who assist a woman through the procedure.

Castro said it does not penalize the woman undergoing the procedure. Instead, he is targeting clinics that offer abortions, though none currently exist in Alvin.

"It would prevent any other facility that performs abortions to be built in Alvin," said Castro. "It's a more proactive ordinance to be able to be pro-life and be a sanctuary city for the unborn."

He also said he worked with the Texas Right to Life group to put together this ordinance, similar to bans passed in Lubbock and 38 other Texas cities.

"If we pass this, we will be the 40th city in Texas to get this done," Castro said.

The ban has exceptions for abortion procedures if the mother's life is at risk, and Castro said he plans to add an amendment to include cases of rape and incest as exceptions.

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Alvin city council will look at the agenda item Thursday. It could also go to a vote that same day, and if passed, the city manager said it would take effect immediately.

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