Lightfoot promises Chicago will be safe haven for women seeking abortion
CHICAGO - Several women who help lead Chicago appeared together Monday, showing they're ready for an abortion rights battle.
"Understand we will fight in a way you have never seen before," said Ald. Leslie Hairston, 5th Ward.
"We will not be quiet, we will not sit still," said Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyers-Ervin.
"I want to tell you we are fired up. We are fired up and we are going to march and we are going to vote," said Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia.
The women appeared with Mayor Lori Lightfoot who announced a 'Justice for All Pledge,' which says Chicago will remain a safe haven for many rights. Mayor Lightfoot believes the Supreme Court could target more than abortion rights.
"This includes women's rights, trans rights, immigrant rights and of course the right to same sex and interracial marriage. We simply cannot stand idly by and let that happen," said Mayor Lightfoot.
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The mayor announced an investment of $500,000 in the Chicago Department of Public Health, to support abortion access for women.
"As a department we believe in access, education, and empowering people's choices. Whether they live in Chicago or may need to travel to Chicago even more in the future," said CDPH Commissioner, Dr. Allison Arwady.
If Roe vs. Wade is overturned, abortions in Illinois are expected to increase as nearby states make the procedure illegal.
Amy Gehrke from the Illinois Right to Life organization said, "what is really, really great news for most of the country is actually terrible news for Illinois."
Gehrke says her organization is upping its efforts to get representation in Springfield and voters backing them.
"It's going to be redoubling our efforts to educate the people of Illinois, about just how extreme our abortion laws are," said Gehrke.
The Illinois Right to Life group also is adding grants to help pregnant woman give birth. This while Mayor Lightfoot says if Roe v. Wade is overturned, Chicago will become an island of reproductive freedom.