Biden White House denies prosecuting pro-life activists despite clear increase in arrests

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Biden White House denies prosecuting pro-life activists despite clear increase in arrests

The DOJ has prosecuted at least 26 pro-life activists this year

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday denied that the Biden administration has been ramping up prosecutions against pro-life activists this year, despite clear evidence of an increase in arrests. 

During a White House press conference, a reporter asked Jean-Pierre to comment on former President Donald Trump’s remarks that "radical Democrats" are supposedly "locking up pro-life activists [and] persecuting their political opponents." 

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during a briefing at the White House, Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

"Clearly that’s not true," Jean-Pierre shot back. "I’m not going to say more than that. It’s just not true. It’s false. It’s a lie. It’s not true. So, I’m going to move on." 

The reporter pressed her, saying there was an increased "perception" that pro-life activists are being persecuted and pro-life pregnancy centers are being attacked. 

"That is just not something that I’m going to comment from here about what the former president said," Jean-Pierre replied. "I’m just not going to get any further." 

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Even though Jean-Pierre downplayed the reporter’s question, the Department of Justice has ramped up prosecutions of pro-life activists in the months following the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion. 

A law that was barely used in 2020 and 2021 has not been used to indict 26 people this year. In recent weeks, the DOJ has indicted 14 people under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or the FACE Act, a Clinton-era law that makes it a federal crime to use or threaten to use force to "injure, intimidate, or interfere" with anyone seeking either abortion services or pro-life pregnancy counseling services." 

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In contrast, only four FACE Act indictments took place in 2020, according to the DOJ. 

Fox News’ Brianna Herlihy contributed to this report.