Statement from Illinois Abortion Access Leaders on 5th Circuit Court’s Decision to Ban Telehealth Abortions Nationwide
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Olivia Kuncio, Communications Manager
Phone: (708) 552-0477
Statement from Illinois Abortion Access Leaders on 5th Circuit Court’s Decision to Ban Telehealth Abortions Nationwide
As one in four people forced to travel across state lines come to Illinois for an abortion, severe nationwide restrictions on medication abortion via telehealth threaten access
CHICAGO, IL –May 1, 2026 – Today the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a stay in Louisiana v. FDA, temporarily blocking a federal rule allowing the medication abortion drug mifepristone to be prescribed through telehealth and dispensed through the mail.
As a result, thousands of people across the country may lose access to this essential health care, or be forced to travel hundreds of miles to seek care in-person.
This stay from the 5th Circuit comes after the federal government requested a pause on this case, while the FDA continues its deeply flawed and unscientific “review” of mifepristone. This case is one of several on track for the Supreme Court, aimed at permanently restricting or banning mifepristone, a medication that has a 20+ year track record as a safe, effective, FDA-approved option for ending a pregnancy before 12 weeks.Mifepristone is safer than many over-the-counter medications, and all major medical associations approve of its use.
In Illinois, we have built a strong ecosystem of abortion care and serve as a national model for access. Our providers, advocates, abortion funds, and elected officials are working in coordination to not only protect, but expand access to abortion.
This restriction on telehealth will have an immediate impact in Illinois. Only 12 of 102 Illinois counties have an abortion provider, and many Illinoisans rely on telehealth for access to medication abortion. Illinois already plays an outsized role in the national abortion access landscape, providing care to one quarter of all people forced to travel across state lines for abortion care (32,000 in 2025). Restrictions on telehealth will not only burden those traveling long distances for care, but also strain free-standing clinics, potentially increasing wait times and reducing access overall.
Medication abortion dispensed in-person is still legal and accessible in all states where abortion is legal. The Chicago Abortion Fund is here to provide financial and logistical support to ensure that people are able to access abortion care, and providers across Illinois are open and ready to provide abortion care to anyone relying on our state.
Statement from Megan Jeyifo, Chicago Abortion Fund (CAF) Executive Director:
“Restrictions on telehealth will not stop medication abortions in this country — it will simply make it harder on people who are already facing heightened confusion and barriers to care.This is yet another politicized court decision meant to further attack abortion care in the middle of an already intense abortion care crisis.
As the largest abortion fund in the country, in the highest receiving state for out-of-state abortion patients, the Chicago Abortion Fund is no stranger to making care possible amidst federal attacks. Illinois clinics are here, ready to support an influx of people who need care in-person, and CAF is here to break down any financial and logistical barriers that stand in their way.”
Statement from Sarah Garza-Resnick, President and CEO of Personal PAC:
“Illinois has prepared for this moment. Because of what we have built through decades of relentless organizing, we have a strong network of providers, advocates, and funds ready to support patients with the compassionate care they deserve. But no one should be forced to travel across state lines for what should be a basic human right. It’s simple: Abortion is health care.”
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The Chicago Abortion Fund (CAF) is the largest abortion fund in the country. For 40 years, we've been breaking down barriers to abortion care in Chicago, the Midwest, and beyond. CAF offers support for people seeking abortion care in Illinois including, procedure funding, travel and related needs like childcare, emotional support and logistical expertise. Since the fall of Roe v. Wade CAF has received support requests from over 50,000 people in 45 states and pushed out over $20 million in direct assistance and wrap-around support. In 2025 alone, CAF fielded nearly 20,000 support requests and spent over $10 million on appointment and travel costs.
Personal PAC is a nonpartisan political action committee dedicated to protecting and advancing reproductive rights and equitable health care access by recruiting and electing officials at the state and local level in Illinois, and holding them accountable. For more than 35 years, Personal PAC has fought to protect reproductive rights in Illinois and has helped to elect more than 1,000 candidates across the state, from school board to governor.