Donald Trump sued over plan to discriminate against LGBT families

Donald Trump is being sued over his reported plan to let adoption and foster agencies reject same-sex couples.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said that it is suing the Trump administration and the state of South Carolina over the reported plan, which would allow federally-funded religious agencies to discriminate against queer or non-Christian people.

“Families who are rejected by an agency because of their faith or sexual orientation may not have other options in their area,” Leslie Cooper, deputy director of the ACLU LGBT and HIV project, said in a statement on Thursday (May 30).

“Families who are rejected by an agency because of their sexual orientation may not have other options.”

—Leslie Cooper, deputy director of the ACLU LGBT and HIV project

 

“Even if they do, the sting and humiliation of discrimination may deter some from approaching other agencies to possibly face more discrimination.”

Donald Trump to roll out gay adoption discrimination

In January, Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) gave federally-funded religious foster agencies in South Carolina special dispensation to turn away queer or non-Christian people.

This policy is to be rolled out nationally as early as July, according to administration officials familiar with the matter.

Axios reported on May 24 that the White House would either roll back Obama-era protections which withdrew funding from adoption and foster agencies that discriminated against same-sex couples, or add an explicit exemption for religious organisations.

The White House has yet to confirm or deny these plans, but ACLU has filed a preemptive legal challenge.

“We’re not waiting for the Trump administration to drop this rule, which would go against long-standing best practices supported by every major child welfare organisation,” Cooper said.