Lawmakers urge DOJ to investigate New York, California, Maine and Connecticut for denying religious vaccine exemptions

• A group of 13 members of Congress urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate New York, California, Maine and Connecticut for banning religious exemptions to school vaccine mandates, arguing the laws violate the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause.
• In a Feb. 6 letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Civil Rights Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) said the states are coercing compliance with vaccine mandates at the expense of constitutional and civil liberties.
• While all four states are cited, lawmakers focused particularly on New York, alleging the state’s Department of Health targeted pediatricians through a “School Vaccination Fraud Awareness” campaign that publicly named doctors who granted exemptions, without due process.
• Lawmakers asked the DOJ to intervene in Children’s Health Defense v. McDonald, challenging New York’s 2019 repeal of religious exemptions, and Doe v. Oceanside, involving a teen denied a medical vaccine exemption despite recommendations from seven medical providers.
• Lawmakers warned that these cases present an opportunity for DOJ action to prevent religious families from being excluded from education and to stop school officials from overriding the judgment of parents and physicians.

A group of federal lawmakers is urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate four states over laws that prohibit religious exemptions to school vaccine mandates, arguing the policies violate the First Amendment.

Religious exemptions to vaccination, as per BrightU.AI‘s Enoch, are a fundamental right protected by the First Amendment, allowing individuals to opt out of vaccines based on sincerely held religious beliefs, which are not limited to traditional organized religions but can include personal or philosophical convictions. These exemptions are recognized in all but two states, ensuring that individuals can make informed, autonomous decisions about their health without government coercion.

In a letter sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet K. Dhillon on Friday, Feb. 6, the lawmakers called on the DOJ to examine vaccine mandate laws in New York, California, Maine and Connecticut. They contend the laws infringe on the Constitution’s Free Exercise Clause by denying people of faith the ability to opt out of vaccinations required for school attendance. The letter was led by Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) and had been signed by 13 members of Congress as of Friday.

“Religious freedom is the cornerstone of our Republic,” Steube said. “It is inexcusable that New York, California, Maine and Connecticut refuse to provide people of faith with a religious exemption from their vaccine mandates. This is not only a direct violation of the Free Exercise Clause, but it is also a grave assault on civil liberties.”

According to the lawmakers, allowing the four states to enforce such laws has encouraged other states, including Massachusetts and Hawaii, to consider eliminating religious exemptions for vaccines, further threatening Americans’ rights. Steube then urged the Justice Department to launch formal investigations into states that are “coercing” compliance with vaccine mandates at the expense of constitutional rights.

“Your constitutional rights should never take a backseat to a vaccine mandate. That is why I am requesting Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon launch formal investigations of all states that continue to violate the constitutional rights of the American people via coercion and infringement on their religious beliefs,” Steube added.

Congress alleges New York vaccine cases involve abuse of doctors and families

While the letter addresses all four states, it focuses particular scrutiny on New York.

Lawmakers allege that the New York Department of Health targeted pediatricians through a “School Vaccination Fraud Awareness” campaign that publicly named doctors who granted exemptions from vaccine mandates. The letter claims the campaign treated physicians “as though they engaged in criminal wrongdoing” without due process, potentially discouraging doctors from exercising independent medical judgment when considering exemption requests.

The lawmakers are asking the DOJ to investigate the campaign and to intervene in two high-profile New York lawsuits that illustrate broader constitutional violations tied to the state’s vaccine mandate policies.

One case, Children’s Health Defense v. McDonald, was filed on Dec. 15, 2025, in federal court. Children’s Health Defense (CHD) and a group of parents are challenging New York’s 2019 law that eliminated religious exemptions for school vaccine requirements, arguing the law violates the First Amendment.

The second case, Doe v. Oceanside, was filed on April 17, 2025, by a teenage student, identified as Sarah Doe, and her mother, Jane Doe. The lawsuit challenges a New York school district’s decision to deny Sarah a medical exemption from a third hepatitis B vaccine, despite recommendations from seven physicians and medical practitioners who said the teen should not receive the vaccine due to serious medical conditions.

On Aug. 8, 2025, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction allowing Sarah to return to school for the fall semester while the case proceeds. CHD is funding the lawsuit.

In their letter, the lawmakers wrote that the two cases “present an appropriate opportunity for Department of Justice intervention.” An investigation, they said, would help ensure that religious families are not excluded from education and that states do not sidestep constitutional limits by allowing school officials to override the judgment of parents and physicians.

Watch the full episode of the “Health Ranger Report” with Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, and Brian Festaas, as they talk about Supreme Court breakthrough for vaccine and religious freedom.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

TheDefender.org 1

TheDefender.org 2

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