President Biden’s executive order Friday signals that he is prepared to use abortion pills as a move to undercut the ability of states to make their own decisions on abortion in wake of the finding by the Supreme Court that a right to abortion does not exist in the federal constitution.

His executive order will expand access to these pills. The order, though, is likely to draw draw his administration into a legal battle with Louisiana, whose trigger law banning abortion came into effect the same day.

After the Supreme Court, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, concluded that it erred was 50 years ago when it found a right to abortion in the federal constitution,  Judge Robin Giarrusso, of the state district court in Louisiana, put a temporary hold on any bans coming into effect in the state.

On Friday, though, another district judge in Louisiana, Ethel Julien, declined to extend the hold, saying the court did not have the authority to issue the pause in the first place. So, a near total prohibition of abortion comes into effect in the Pelican State.

“The suit’s claims that provisions in the law are unconstitutionally vague and inconsistent are matters involving legislation, and therefore should be heard in state court in the capital, Baton Rouge,” said Judge Julien. 

The ban forbids all abortions after 20 weeks unless the life of the mother is threatened and also abortion pills. It is likely to cut down on the majority of the 9,000 abortions usually performed in Louisiana annually, according to the Guttmacher Institute. 

President Biden says that his executive order “directs HHS to identify ways to expand access to reproductive health services, like IUDs, birth control pills, emergency contraception.” Biden. 

While political commentators on both sides conceded that the executive order will be taken to court, the order will do little to expand abortion access in states where already banned. Abortion pills, though, can be sent through the U.S. mail  and telehealth services, and would be harder to police than some other forms of abortion.

In President Biden’s executive order, he announced sweeping protections of women’s rights and privacy from possible future laws including travel bans, intrusions on private health data, and access to abortion pills on the federal level. 

“Let me explain. We need two additional pro-choice senators and a pro-choice House to codify Roe as federal law.  Your vote can make that a reality,” said Mr. Biden in a plea to voters. 

Mr. Biden said that he would sign any law that made it to his desk to codify the right to abortion. 

“We cannot allow an out-of-control Supreme Court, working in conjunction with the extremist elements of the Republican Party, to take away freedoms and our autonomy,” said Mr. Biden 

 “Mr. Trump began telling friends and advisers that the ruling would lead to a backlash against Republicans in the November midterm elections,” claimed a Republican ally who spoke to the New York Times.