Inside the Clandestine Network of Abortion Pill Mules
This story is part of the Life After Roe package, appearing this week, which looks at the surprising resilience of the abortion access movement in the Dobbs era—and at how hardliners are doubling down on their efforts to ban abortion nationwide. When Lena walks into the cafe near an airport somewhere outside the US, she […]
The underground network of abortion pill mules plays a crucial role in providing medication abortion to those who face barriers accessing care through mainstream channels. Lena, a courier in this clandestine world, travels abroad to pick up generic versions of mifepristone and misoprostol, the two drugs used in medication abortion.
She meets her supplier, also a traveler, who transfers the abortion medication from their bags to Lena's. Once back in the US, Lena distributes the pills to community support networks, reaching women like minors, undocumented immigrants, and pregnant women past the first trimester who struggle to access care through traditional channels.
Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, these grassroots groups have sent abortion meds for free to tens of thousands of women. Although telemedicine providers operate under legal protection in some states, community networks function outside the legal and medical systems. As authorities tighten regulations on aboveground abortion-pill providers, Lena and her fellow activists are stockpiling medication, building relationships with new suppliers, and devising new ways to get pills into the country.
They are sending more couriers on supply runs around the world, emphasizing that they will continue regardless of legal consequences, expressing that they may become the only option for the nation if necessary.
Written by urgent.news from Mother Jones's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
