By Scott Shamblin | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice
In a monumental victory for the pro-life movement and justice itself, President Donald J. Trump has officially pardoned several pro-life political prisoners who were unjustly persecuted for their unwavering defense of the unborn.
President Trump’s decision to pardon 23 pro-life political prisoners marks a turning point in the battle for justice. These elderly grandparents, sons, daughters, mothers and fathers, were not violent criminals but peaceful advocates for the unborn, unfairly targeted by the Biden Administration’s discriminatory enforcement of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. Their crime? Exercising their 1st Amendment rights in defense of innocent life.
The FACE Act, passed in 1994, was supposed to protect access to clinics, but under Biden, it became a weapon used against pro-lifers, while violent attacks on pregnancy resource centers and churches went ignored. The double standard was glaring, and it became clear: this wasn’t about justice — it was about silencing dissent.
With these pardons, Trump sent a powerful message: peaceful advocacy for life should never be criminalized. But pardons alone are not enough. The FACE Act remains in place, and unless it is repealed, the next Democrat administration could restart the crackdown on pro-life ministries and activists.
That’s where Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, comes in. He has introduced the FACE Act Repeal Act of 2025, a critical bill to ensure that pro-lifers are no longer treated as criminals. This is a defining moment for our Colorado Republican congressional delegation. Will they stand up for the 1st Amendment and defend the rights of pro-life Americans?
This is more than a policy debate. It’s about the fundamental right to speak out for the most vulnerable. The Biden Administration’s abuse of the FACE Act should be a wake-up call. If conservatives in Congress do not act now, future generations of pro-life advocates will face the same persecution.
We must demand action. Repealing the FACE Act isn’t just about justice for those already persecuted — it’s about protecting the right to defend life itself. The time to act is now.
Scott Shamblin is the Executive Director of Colorado Right To Life, the nation’s oldest pro-life organization, dedicated to defending the sanctity of innocent life from fertilization to natural death. He is also a radio host on KLTT 670-AM at 3 p.m. Wednesdays.
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.