Justice Department Urged To Investigate Multiple States Over “School-Based Vaccine Mandates”

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A group of 13 members of Congress sent a letter to the Trump administration urging the Justice Department to investigate four states that “do not recognize religious exemptions for school-based vaccine mandates.”

The four states include:

  • New York
  • California
  • Maine
  • Connecticut

“We write to you today to commend the Trump Administration for its steadfast and principled commitment to defending religious liberty, a basic fundamental value in our Constitution. The unwavering efforts have reaffirmed the fundamental truth that the free exercise of religion is not a privilege granted by government, but a right endowed to every American. However, we write to express serious concerns regarding ongoing infringements upon these civil liberties occurring in several states,” the letter, addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, read.

“As you are well aware, the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment guarantees that Americans may
practice their faith without undue interference from the government. Vaccine mandate laws that fail to
accommodate religious beliefs represent a clear, coercive intrusion on this freedom, compelling individuals and families to act in direct contradiction with their faith. On June 27, 2025, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the Free Exercise Clause by holding that public schools must provide opt-out mechanisms for parents who object to certain requirements on religious grounds in Mahmoud v. Taylor. The Court further underscored this protection by vacating the Second Circuit’s decision in Miller v. McDonald and remanding the case for reconsideration,” it continued.

“In Miller v. McDonald, members of the Amish community challenged New York State’s vaccination
requirement, which had been deemed ‘neutral’ and ‘generally applicable,’ yet in practice burdened religious exercise. Despite this clear judicial guidance, several states persist in defying constitutional norms and suppressing the religious liberties of American families,” it noted.

“Lawmakers say the policies violate the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause — and are asking DOJ to intervene in two New York lawsuits backed by Children’s Health Defense,” Children’s Health Defense stated.

“California and Maine eliminated both personal and religious exemption options in 2015 and 2019, respectively. Connecticut followed in 2021, removing its religious exemption as a direct retaliation for parents exercising their rights during the COVID-19 pandemic,” the letter read.

“Of particular concern is the State of New York following its elimination of religious exemptions in 2019. The New York Department of Health has undertaken actions that have unjustly targeted pediatric physicians by publicly naming them in its ‘School Vaccination Fraud Awareness’ campaign. The state has prohibited schools from accepting ‘paper-only’ vaccination records from seventeen pediatric physicians; without filing charges or alleging any criminal conduct. These physicians have not falsified records. Instead, they have issued exemptions for vulnerable children, including those who are immunocompromised or suffer from preexisting medical conditions. Nevertheless, they are being treated as though they engaged in criminal wrongdoing,” it continued.

The Defender shared further:

Allowing the four states to violate citizens’ constitutional rights has emboldened states like Massachusetts and Hawaii, which are considering eliminating religious exemptions for vaccines, to “further encroach upon Americans’ rights,” according to the lawmakers.

The four states make up nearly 20% of the U.S. population, said Cait Corrigan, a former congressional candidate from New York and a medical freedom advocate who helped raise awareness at the federal level and worked with Steube’s office on the effort.

Corrigan said she hopes the DOJ will intervene in “the tragedy that is happening in these four states.”

In their letter, Steube and his colleagues argued that in two recent decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court has provided clear guidance on First Amendment rights.

In a June 2025 Supreme Court decision, Mahmoud v. Taylor, the court sided with parents who wanted to opt their children out of LGBTQ-themed elementary school books due to their religious beliefs.

The Supreme Court’s ruling reaffirmed the Free Exercise Clause, requiring public schools to provide opt-out mechanisms for parents who object to certain requirements on religious grounds.

Soon after, the Supreme Court vacated the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit’s ruling in Miller v. McDonald. The case involved members of an Amish community who challenged New York’s vaccine mandate.

In a victory for the Amish families, the Supreme Court sent the case back to the lower court for reconsideration.

The lawmakers asked the Justice Department to intervene in two lawsuits filed in New York.

“On Dec. 15, 2025, CHD and a group of parents sued the state of New York in federal court. The lawsuit asks the court to rule that the state’s 2019 law that repealed religious exemptions is unconstitutional,” The Defender stated regarding Children’s Health Defense v. McDonald.

“On April 17, 2025, Sarah Doe, a teenager, and her mother, Jane Doe, sued a New York school district for denying the teen a medical exemption for the third hepatitis B vaccine after seven different doctors and medical practitioners said the teen shouldn’t get the vaccine due to her serious medical conditions,” The Defender wrote regarding Doe v. Oceanside Union Free School District.

“As Members of Congress and steadfast advocates for religious liberty, we respectfully urge the Department of Justice to exercise its authority to investigate these states for potential violations of constitutionally protected rights. We appreciate your timely attention to this critical matter and thank you for your continued leadership in defense of our constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms,” the letter from the Congress members concluded.

Read the full letter HERE.



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