The Supreme Court on Thursday denied an effort by abortion rights groups to halt a Texas law that bans women from having the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy, wading into a divisive debate, hours after the prohibition had taken effect. The midnight ruling followed a daylong outcry from abortion rights groups and applause from anti-abortion advocates across the nation. Similar abortion bans in other states had been quickly halted by federal courts before they took effect. The court declined to block enforcement of the law 5-4 over the objection of the court's three liberals and Chief Justice John Roberts. Nearly 50 years ago the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that women have the right to an abortion during the first and second trimesters but that states could impose restrictions in the second trimester. Years later, the court allowed states to ban most abortions at viability, the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb – about 24 weeks. 📸: Mandel Ngan, @afpphoto via @gettyimages; USA TODAY graphic #supremecourt #scotus #texas