A New York state agency violated a Christian adoption agency's constitutional rights, as per a new federal lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, the New York State Division of Human Rights launched an investigation into New Hope Family Services, a privately funded adoption center, after it declined to provide adoption services to an individual who inquired with the agency.
According to Christian Headlines, an individual contacted the New Hope adoption agency and asked about its adoption services. The Christian adoption agency responded by informing the individual of its "convictions as a Christian adoption service" and how they only work with "adoptive families built around a married husband and wife." The adoption agency then offered to provide contact information about other adoption services in the area that offered services to same-sex families.
While it was unclear in the report if the individual was male or female, this individual then approached the New York State Division of Human Rights to file a complaint against New Hope. The Christian adoption agency was then given 15 days to respond to the allegations in the complaint, which said that the ministry is violating state law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation.
The Christian adoption agency is being represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which said that the Northern District of New York and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals have previously found that the New York state's actions against New Hope were likely unconstitutional. It alleges that the New York state is "threatening to investigate and penalize New Hope" under the same law and "for exactly the conduct and speech which courts have already held are protected by the First Amendment."
ADF senior counsel Roger Brooks argued that "As multiple federal court decisions have found, government officials have no business forcing faith-based providers to choose between contradicting their religious convictions and closing their doors."
Brooks lamented that the Christian adoption agency's case is part of a "disturbing trend" across America, wherein "Activists are weaponizing the legal system to ruin those who simply disagree with them."
"We have filed this lawsuit to put a stop to state officials' illegal and indefensible harassment of New Hope, which only wishes to continue serving New York families as it has for more than 50 years," Brooks concluded.
Back in January when President Joe Biden took office, he signed the Executive Order on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation, which adds protections for members of the LGBT community, barring anyone from discriminating against them based on their gender identity or sexual orientation.
This executive order is now being weaponized by members of the LGBT community to violate the rights of religious organizations across America.
According to Reuters, the Equality Act "amends the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity for protection alongside race, religion, sex and national origin." A number of prominent Republican leaders expressed their opposition to the Executive Order, including Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, who said he would only support the act if a provision would be added to ensure "strong religious liberty protections."
