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AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Attorney General’s Office announced eight people have been arrested in connection with a Houston-area medical clinic accused of providing illegal abortions.

What we know:

Yaimara Hernandez Alvarez, Alina Valeron Leon, Dalia Coromoto Yanez, Thonder Lebrun Acosta, Liunet Grandales Estrada, Gerardo Otero Aguero, Sabiel Bosch Gongora and Jose Manuel Cendan Ley were each charged with practicing medicine without a license.

What they’re saying:

“This cabal of abortion-loving radicals has been running illegal clinics staffed with unlicensed individuals who endangered the very people they pretended to help,” Paxton said. “Beyond being illegal, it is evil. These dens of fake doctors will not be allowed to operate in Texas. Those responsible will be held accountable. I will always protect innocent life and use every tool to enforce Texas’s pro-life laws.”

The backstory:

The arrests are the latest in the investigation into 49-year-old Maria Margarita Rojas, who was arrested in March 2025. Rojas was the first person charged under the Texas Human Life Protection Act. Rojas is facing 15 charges including illegally performing an abortion and 12 counts of practicing medicine without a license.

Under the Texas Human Life Protection Act of 2021, abortion providers can receive civil penalties of at least $100,000 per violation.

Investigators with the Attorney General’s Office say Rojas owned and operated multiple clinics: Clinica Waller Latinoamericana in Waller, Clinica Latinoamericana Telge in Cypress, and Latinoamericana Medical Clinic in Spring.

Court orders have caused the clinics to remain closed during the investigation.

The facilities allegedly employed unlicensed individuals who posed as medical professionals, according to the AG’s Office.

Providing an illegal abortion is a second-degree felony that comes with a prison sentence of up to 20 years, if convicted.

The other side:

The Center for Reproductive Rights called the case against Rojas a “sham.” The organization is representing Rojas in a separate civil lawsuit.

Jenna Hudson, Senior Counsel, told Fox News Digital that the indictments were “an escalation of Texas’ scare campaign against doctors and healthcare workers.”

Hudson said Paxton “went after Rojas, a licensed midwife dedicated to helping her pregnant patients.”

“He heartlessly shut down several clinics that provided lawful, affordable services to families around Houston, most of whom were low-income, uninsured immigrants with few options for health care, ” she said. “It’s no coincidence that he is targeting Rojas and these clinics amid the widespread anti-immigrant sentiment nationwide. Texas health care workers deserve respect, not to be treated like criminals.”

The Source: Information in this article comes from the TExas Attorney General’s Office. Comments made by The Center for Reproductive Rights comes from an interview with FOX News Digital. Backstory on Maria Rojas and the investigation into three Houston-area clinics comes from previous FOX 26 reporting.

Waller CountyAbortion LawsCrime and Public Safety