Justice Department Supports Catholic Nuns Against New York Transgender Policies

The Justice Department has expressed its support for a group of Catholic nuns who are challenging New York’s transgender policies. The nuns claim that the policies could compel them to choose between their religious beliefs and providing care for indigent cancer patients. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon from the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department emphasized that the government cannot force people to forsake their religious convictions due to gender ideology.

For over a hundred years, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne have offered free palliative care to cancer patients in their last days. Dhillon asserted that New York’s legislation would put these religious women in a position where they must choose between their faith and their ability to operate legally if they want to continue serving the terminally ill.

The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne currently manage a facility for dying cancer patients in Westchester County. They argue that New York’s regulation could expose them to financial penalties, revocation of their operating license, and other consequences if they fail to meet requirements regarding gender identity, pronouns, room assignments, and access to sex-specific facilities.

If the sisters do not adhere to the New York transgender mandate, known as the “Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, and people living with HIV long-term care facility residents’ bill of rights,” they risk fines of up to $2,000 per infraction, potential forced compliance by the court, loss of licensing, and even imprisonment for up to one year with fines reaching $10,000.

The mandate, enacted on November 30, 2023, prevents long-term care facilities and their personnel from discrimination based on a resident’s sexual orientation, gender identity, expression, or HIV status as per a press release from Hochul’s office.

The sisters contend that the law requires them to allocate rooms based on gender identity rather than biological sex, allow access to bathrooms matching gender identity, permit expressions, relationships, identity practices, use preferred gender pronouns, mandate gender ideology training for staff, and display a public notice showing compliance with the law.

In their lawsuit filed on April 6, the sisters noted that during a reporting period from February 1, 2022, to January 31, 2026, the New York State Department of Health received zero complaints from their residents, compared to more than 55,000 complaints against other nursing homes. These facilities averaged 23 citations each during the same period.

Martin Nussbaum, who serves as general counsel for the Catholic Benefits Association representing the Dominican Sisters, mentioned that the risk to the sisters affects both their facility, Rosary Hill Home, and its licensed staff.

He remarked that Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s formal certification of the case highlights that state preferences for gender ideology don’t outweigh the religious freedom protection rooted in America’s laws.

A representative for New York Governor Kathy Hochul indicated that the legal challenge is merely an attempt by the previous administration to politicize the justice system during an election year. The shift to a single fiscal intermediary has reportedly saved New York taxpayers over a billion dollars and minimized fraud, waste, and abuse. The spokesperson expressed confidence in the state’s position.

Fox News Digital contacted the Department of Justice for further comment.