Federal Immigration Director Tried to Force a Teen to Carry a Pregnancy From Rape; Advocates Now Want Him Removed
By: Tina Vasquez, Rewire, December 21, 2017
Advocacy organizations are calling for the removal of Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Director Scott Lloyd after previously-sealed court documents were made public today in which Lloyd seems to assert there should be a rape exception beyond the scope of federal law.
Released on Thursday by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the documents relate to a case involving an unaccompanied immigrant minor in ORR custody who requested an abortion for a pregnancy that was the result of rape. She rescinded her decision soon after because her mother, who was a potential sponsor, threatened to “beat” her if she moved forward with her decision. The teen was forced by ORR to have an “information session,” where she was “imparted [with] information about fetal development.” The teen subsequently made it clear that she wanted to move forward with abortion care and threatened to harm herself if she did not obtain it.
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In October, the government watchdog group Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint against Lloyd and released a statement calling on the Virginia State Bar to investigate whether Lloyd has violated the Virginia State Bar Rules of Professional Conduct. Planned Parenthood announced Thursday that it was calling for Lloyd’s removal from office.