Chicago City Wire

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D), a vehement supporter of abortion rights, claimed that overturning Roe v. Wade will lead to the prohibition of same-sex and interracial marriage.

"Tonight, I join the chorus of millions of people nationwide who are sickened and enraged to learn that the Supreme Court has seemingly voted to strike down Roe v. Wade," the mayor said on Monday. 

Ryan Johnson, Lightfoot's deputy director of communications, posted her statement in a graphic on Twitter.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. | Twitter/Lori Lightfoot

" ... And make no mistake, this decision will reverse the gains that women have made in the workplace and every other aspect of their lives since the court first decided Roe," Lightfoot said. "Also, the architects of this destruction will not stop at a woman's right to choose. The court's draft opinion will establish a precedent for gutting the legal underpinnings used to protect against gender-based discrimination overall, including women's rights, trans rights, immigrant rights, and of course, the right to same-sex and interracial marriage."      

Abortion in Illinois will not be illegal or restricted even if Roe v. Wade is overturned, according to the Chicago Tribune. Although some states, such as Idaho and Utah, have trigger laws that would immediately ban abortion if Roe is overturned, Illinois does not.   

Illinois has some of the laxest abortion laws in the country; thousands of women from different states come to Illinois for abortions every year, the Chicago Tribune reported. More than 36,000 Illinois women had abortions in 2020, while almost 10,000 out-of-state women traveled to Illinois for abortions.           

Lightfoot is a vocal supporter of abortion rights; she addressed abortion in her inauguration speech in 2019, according to Fox 32. 

"We must stand with women all across our country who fear for their basic rights and feel powerless in the face of the hateful legislation designed to control our bodies, our choices,” Lightfoot said in 2019, Fox 32 reported.   

In an unprecedented leak, Politico obtained a draft of the Supreme Court opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, a case seeking to overturn Roe v. Wade, according to CNBC.  Roe v. Wade, a court case decided in 1973, guaranteed a woman's right to obtain an abortion. The official ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson is expected to arrive in June.

"Court employees have an exemplary and important tradition of respecting the confidentiality of the judicial process and upholding the trust of the court," Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts said of the leak, as reported by CNBC. "This was a singular and egregious breach of that trust that is an affront to the court and the community of public servants who work here."