On Thursday, President Donald Trump issued pardons for 23 individuals convicted of blocking access to abortion clinics. The move was part of another series of executive orders signed from the Oval Office.

“These individuals should never have been prosecuted. Many of them are elderly and were unjustly targeted,” Trump stated. “It’s an honor to sign these pardons—they’ll be very happy.”

Among those pardoned was Lauren Handy, leader of the group Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU). Handy and her group were convicted in 2020 for conspiring to storm a reproductive health clinic in Washington, D.C. The group forcibly entered the Surgi-Clinic, injuring a nurse and intimidating patients and staff. They remained inside the facility for several hours.

Handy, found guilty in August 2023, was sentenced in May 2024.

Abortion rights have remained a pivotal issue in U.S. politics, especially following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The ruling ended nearly 50 years of federal protections for abortion access, fueling a surge in legislative action at the state level to restrict abortion rights.

The pardons come as the March for Life, a longstanding annual protest against abortion, coincides with the Supreme Court’s signals to allow stricter abortion regulations.