Attorney General Bonta Leads Coalition in Requesting Trump Administration Meeting over Potential Rollback of Abortion Access for Unaccompanied Minors

OAKLAND - California Attorney General Rob Bonta, alongside the attorneys general of Massachusetts and New York, today sent a letter to the Trump Administration expressing deep concern over its review of a federal rule that ensures unaccompanied minors have access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion care. Announced by the Biden Administration's U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2024, the rule has helped provide this essential medical care to young people who have experienced sexual violence in their home countries or during the dangerous journey to the United States. Although the specific regulatory action under consideration is unclear, as no summary is available, recent reporting suggests the Trump Administration is taking action to limit abortion access.

"Unaccompanied minors, who often face assault on their perilous journey to the United States, are among the most vulnerable and deserve access to reproductive healthcare," said Attorney General Bonta. "Any rollback of the Biden-era rule could put them at risk of serious health complications and additional trauma. We are requesting a meeting with the Trump Administration to share more information about our position and the considerations we believe must guide any decision."

Current regulations require that:

• Pregnant unaccompanied minors be provided with information about and access to reproductive healthcare, including pregnancy and abortion care.
• The federal government prioritize placing minors in shelters where abortion is legal because any pregnant minor could experience miscarriage or complications that require life- or health-saving abortion care. If a minor is in a shelter in a state with an abortion ban and she requests an abortion, the federal government must transfer her to a state where abortion is legal.

According to a recent NPR article, "The Trump administration is sending all pregnant unaccompanied minors apprehended by immigration enforcement to a single group shelter in South Texas. The decision was made over urgent objections from some of the administration's own health and child welfare officials, who say both the facility and the region lack the specialized care the girls need." During the first Trump Administration, unaccompanied minors were prevented from accessing abortion care, and the attorneys general are concerned that similar restrictions could be officially reinstated.