A New York court has ordered that Amish children must be vaccinated, even if it goes against their parents’ wishes and violates their family’s religious beliefs.
Those who refuse to comply with the order will now face the threat of massive fines and exclusion from their own private schools.
The ruling, handed down by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on March 3, 2025, marks a dark milestone in government overreach, stripping one of America’s most peaceful religious communities of their constitutional rights.
The Amish, known for their steadfast commitment to faith and self-sufficiency, have long resisted government-mandated medical interventions.
For centuries, they have lived apart from modern society, rejecting outside interference in their way of life.
But under New York’s repeal of religious exemptions—a law pushed through in the wake of a 2019 measles outbreak—the Amish were given an impossible choice: violate their conscience by vaccinating their children or face crippling financial penalties and educational exile.
And now, the state has made its position brutally clear. Reports indicate that Amish families and schools have already been hit with fines totaling $118,000 for refusing to comply.
The Second Circuit’s ruling dismissed Amish objections, arguing that the repeal of