The Legal Aid Society is decrying a ruling by the United States Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturns the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that made abortion legal nationwide.

“The Legal Aid Society wholly condemns today’s ruling to overturn a decision that has been law for nearly 50 years and has protected the basic human right to allow people to make their own decisions regarding their reproductive health and maintain bodily autonomy,” reads a statement from Legal Aid. “We deplore the utter audacity of the Supreme Court Justices who voted to overturn abortion rights for millions of pregnant people across the country.”

“Stripping people of their reproductive rights isn’t pro-life – it’s pro-oppression,” the statement continues. “This ruling will exacerbate racial inequities and disproportionately harm the most vulnerable and marginalized communities of color who already face obstacles to healthcare. Forcing people to carry unwanted pregnancies to term will push families deeper into poverty and put the lives of pregnant people, many of whom are BIPOC women, at risk.”

“As the oldest and largest public defender organization in New York, we have seen firsthand how our incarcerated clients are routinely denied access to healthcare in detention and prison, including abortion and other reproductive rights,” the statement reads. “We know the devastating impact that a lack of access to reproductive healthcare and abortion has on our clients and their families. We stand with all those impacted by today’s Supreme Court ruling. The Legal Aid Society will continue exploring our role in pushing back against the Court’s dismantling of our civil and human rights.”