Louisiana Attorney General Challenges Abortion Pill Regulations

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill expressed hope that a judge will dismiss the Trump administration’s request to delay her lawsuit aimed at reinstating regulations concerning the abortion pill.

On Tuesday, the Department of Justice appealed to a federal court to suspend Louisiana’s case against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) while a safety review of the abortion drug mifepristone is conducted.

“I am certainly hopeful that the judge won’t side with the Department of Justice, as they haven’t provided any solid reasoning for why they need to pause everything,” Murrill commented in an interview.

The lawsuit, filed in 2025 by the state of Louisiana and resident Rosalie Markezich, challenges a rule from the Biden administration that permits the mailing of abortion drugs to women without requiring an in-person consultation with a doctor.

Markezich shared that her boyfriend pressured her into using abortion pills he obtained from a California doctor. Although Louisiana law generally prohibits abortions, the absence of an in-person requirement enabled him to receive the pills through the mail from another state.

The administration’s proposal to pause cites that safety studies, like the one on the abortion pill, typically require about a year or more to complete. Nonetheless, the FDA aims to finish the review sooner than that.

A representative from the Justice Department stated their commitment to advancing President Trump’s pro-life agenda. This includes dismissing lawsuits against peaceful pro-life advocates targeted by the previous administration and using the FACE Act to support pro-life pregnancy centers.

“In this instance, the DOJ has merely asked for time for the FDA to finish its review of mifepristone,” the spokesperson noted. A Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy, or REMS, is a protocol the FDA utilizes to ensure the safe use of higher-risk medications.

“The Supreme Court recognized, in a unanimous decision not too long ago, that assessing drug safety is the FDA’s responsibility, not that of the federal courts,” the spokesperson added.

However, Murrill argued that since the Trump administration’s FDA hasn’t begun the process to alter the existing Biden-era rule, there isn’t a justifiable reason to stall the case.

“If they had shown any movement on withdrawing those rules—which they can do, and have suggested they would—it might make sense to pause the litigation while that process unfolds. But without any action, there’s just no reason to hold up the case,” she elaborated.

Alliance Defending Freedom, a law firm focused on religious liberties, represents the state of Louisiana in this lawsuit.

“I am confident in our ability to proceed with this litigation, as courts have a steadfast duty to consider the cases presented to them,” said ADF senior counsel Erik Baptist.

Baptist emphasized that while the Trump administration seeks to pause proceedings, such a delay would only allow further harm to countless women and unborn children.

Murrill labeled the distribution of abortion pills across state lines as “dangerous,” “illegal,” and “unethical.” She referenced a study indicating that 11% of women using the abortion drug experienced severe complications like sepsis and hemorrhaging within 45 days.

“Evidence shows that unrestricted access to these pills has harmed many women, with numerous cases surfacing in emergency rooms,” she said, also noting incidents involving women taking the pills well into their pregnancies.

“You can easily access these pills online without any identification check, which feels really concerning given the serious warnings attached to this medication,” she continued. “It’s quite an unusual scenario for such a high-risk drug.”

While the DOJ claims that its request for a pause might affect the review process, Tom McCluskey from CatholicVote suspects other motives are at play.

“This seems to align with other decisions from the White House that suggest they might prefer to push issues off until after the midterms,” he remarked.

“While I appreciate the pro-life measures this administration has taken, the reach and risks associated with the abortion drug have the potential to undermine these efforts,” he added.