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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NCJW Celebrates Scott Lloyd’s Long-Awaited Departure from HHS

May 28, 2019, Washington, DC – The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) today celebrated the departure of Scott Lloyd, former Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Jody Rabhan, NCJW Director of Government Relations and Advocacy, released the following statement:

“The National Council of Jewish Women has worked tirelessly to secure Scott Lloyd’s removal from the Trump administration. In March 2018, we joined with All* Above All, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, and other key partners to collect thousands of signatures demanding Lloyd’s resignation and calling for immediate restoration of access to comprehensive reproductive health care services and information — including abortion —for the thousands of young immigrants in ORR’s care.

“Throughout his tenure at the helm of ORR, Lloyd shamed, bullied, and coerced young people by blocking access to abortion, effectively abandoning his mandate to provide prompt access to safe medical services to all within the agency’s charge. Lloyd prohibited undocumented minors in federal custody from obtaining abortions; instructed subordinates to prevent these minors from meeting with attorneys and from going to court to request abortion access; engaged in a lengthy (and ultimately unsuccessful) court battle to stop a teenager from leaving her shelter for an abortion; and publicly discussed requiring young immigrants to undergo a medically-unproven “abortion reversal” process. What’s more, Lloyd admitted to Congress that he had failed to alert HHS leaders about the health risks of separating migrant children from their families and even maintained spreadsheets tracking the pregnancies and menstrual cycles of young women in ORR’s care.

“NCJW believes that HHS has no business micromanaging the abortion requests of individuals in department custody or, for that matter, working to deny abortion care to anyone seeking such services. In order to fulfill the department’s mission to enhance and protect public health and well-being, all HHS officials must recognize that safe and legal abortion is health care and that health care is a basic human right.”

The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals into action. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms. More information on Facebook and on Twitter at @NCJW.