Freedom Updates
Press Releases
PRESS RELEASE | SUPREME COURT FORCES RECONSIDERATION OF NEW YORK’S DISCRIMINATORY VACCINE LAW IN LANDMARK RELIGIOUS LIBERTY CASE
ADVOCATES FOR FAITH & FREEDOM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2025
CONTACT: NICOLE VELASCO
MEDIA@FAITH-FREEDOM.COM
Washington D.C. — The Supreme Court has reversed the lower court’s decision that fined petitioners for living out their religious beliefs. The case returns to the lower court to reevaluate New York’s law under strengthened protections for religious believers, making clear that the government may not punish religious conviction while granting exemptions for secular purposes.
At the center of Miller v. McDonald are Amish families who have lived peacefully, faithfully, and separately from modern society for generations. New York eliminated its long-standing religious exemption to its school vaccination law and then openly mocked those who objected based on sincere religious convictions. Lawmakers referred to religious beliefs as “trash,” “fake,” and “heresy,” while Governor Kathy Hochul told a congregation that people with religious objections to vaccination “are not listening to God” and that their concerns are “not truth.”
Despite wiping out all religious exemptions, New York still allows secular medical exemptions and does not require teachers, staff, or other adults in the schools to be vaccinated. The result is a discriminatory law that targets children of faith while ignoring comparable secular risks. The Amish petitioners have already been hit with $118,000 in fines simply for obeying their conscience and honoring God.
Advocates for Faith & Freedom filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to intervene and to restore the Free Exercise Clause to its rightful place at the heart of the First Amendment.
The Supreme Court’s action forces the lower court to reevaluate New York’s law under strengthened protections for religious believers, making clear that the government may not punish religious conviction while granting exemptions for secular purposes.
“Religious liberty is America’s first freedom because it safeguards every person’s right to honor God without fear of government coercion,” said Erin Mersino, Vice President and Chief of Supreme Court and Appellate Litigation at Advocates for Faith & Freedom. “The Supreme Court’s action is an important step toward stopping New York from penalizing the Amish community for their faith with crippling fines.”
This remand marks a pivotal moment in the national fight for religious liberty and has the potential to shape constitutional protections for generations to come. Advocates for Faith & Freedom will continue standing with the Amish families and every American who refuses to surrender their God-given freedoms to state power.
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Advocates for Faith & Freedom is a non-profit law firm dedicated to protecting constitutional and religious liberty in the courts. Our mission is to engage in cases that will uphold our religious liberty and America’s heritage and to educate Americans about our fundamental constitutional rights.
PRESS RELEASE | CALVARY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY WINS MAJOR VICTORY: STATE WITHDRAWS ALL OSHA CITATIONS AFTER ILLEGAL WARRANT RAID ON CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
ADVOCATES FOR FAITH & FREEDOM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21 2025
CONTACT: NICOLE VELASCO
MEDIA@FAITH-FREEDOM.COM
San Jose, CA – In a landmark victory for religious freedom and parental rights, Calvary Chapel of San Jose (CCSJ) and Calvary Christian Academy (CCA) have been cleared of every citation originally brought by the California Division of Occupational Safety & Health (Cal/OSHA). The final Order by the California Occupational Safety & Health Appeals Board (OSHAB) affirms:
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Every citation issued–totaling 15 items and originally carrying $67,330 in penalties–was withdrawn by the Division.
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Final penalties: $0.
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No finding of wrongdoing. The church and school admitted no fault whatsoever, and this resolution cannot be used against them in any future matter.
This victory comes after a protracted campaign of relentless government over-reach. In late 2020 and early 2021, Cal/OSHA leveraged a search warrant—based on what courts later called an affidavit “utterly devoid of detail”—to inspect the Academy after mask-related complaints. That warrant was challenged by the legal team at Advocates for Faith & Freedom, which exposed the agency’s failure to follow due-process, properly verify allegations, or respect constitutional protections.
“This is a complete victory, not only for Calvary Christian Academy, but for every church and Christian school in California,” said Joel Oster, Vice President and Chief of Trial Litigation for Advocates for Faith & Freedom. “The State tried to use OSHA as a weapon to intimidate a religious institution. They failed. And they were forced to walk away from their own claims.”
Attorney Nicolai Cocis added: “We commend the court for upholding the constitutional rights of Calvary Chapel San Jose and Calvary Christian Academy. This ruling underscores the importance of due process and the protection of religious freedoms against unwarranted governmental overreach.”
This outcome carries significant implications. Religious liberty is strengthened, demonstrating that faith-based institutions cannot be intimidated by bureaucratic pressure disguised as public-health enforcement. Parental rights are protected, as the case began with mask mandates being weaponized against children and churches, yet the resolution makes clear that government cannot trample constitutional protections under the guise of regulation. Finally, an important precedent is reinforced: government agencies must follow the law, adhere to due process, and cannot rely on thin affidavits, unchecked authority, or discriminatory targeting of religious communities.
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Advocates for Faith & Freedom is a non-profit law firm dedicated to protecting constitutional and religious liberty in the courts. Our mission is to engage in cases that will uphold our religious liberty and America’s heritage and to educate Americans about our fundamental constitutional rights.
PRESS RELEASE | ADVOCATES FOR FAITH & FREEDOM AND ACLJ TAKE CALVARY CHAPEL SAN JOSE CASE TO U.S. SUPREME COURT; CHALLENGE $1.2 MILLION IN COVID FINES
ADVOCATES FOR FAITH & FREEDOM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2025
CONTACT: NICOLE VELASCO
MEDIA@FAITH-FREEDOM.COM
Murrieta, CA —Advocates for Faith & Freedom (AFF) has joined forces with the American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ) to defend Calvary Chapel San Jose and Pastor Mike McClure in a landmark religious liberty case headed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The church faces more than $1.2 million in fines after continuing to worship during California’s COVID-19 restrictions.
In 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom and Santa Clara County imposed sweeping public-health orders that severely restricted religious gatherings, while granting broad exemptions for secular activities, including construction sites, restaurants, athletic programs, personal-care services, and government operations.
Calvary Chapel continued worship services and declined to enforce mask mandates that violated its sincerely held religious convictions. The county responded with rapidly escalating fines, doubling daily up to $5,000 per day, and demanded church leaders sign sworn statements promising compliance with orders later ruled unconstitutional.
“Government officials cannot weaponize emergencies to suspend constitutional rights,” said Erin Mersino, Vice President & Chief of Supreme Court and Appellate Litigation for AFF. “This case represents one of the most aggressive attacks on church autonomy and religious liberty in recent history. The Constitution does not evaporate in a crisis.”
The Supreme Court has repeatedly held, including in Tandon v. Newsom, that religious gatherings cannot be treated worse than comparable secular activities. The government’s selective exemptions for favored industries while crushing churches with fines violates this standard.
“Churches were punished while secular entities operated freely,” said Joel Oster, Vice President and Chief of Trial Litigation for AFF. “If government can impose crushing penalties until churches surrender constitutional freedoms, then those freedoms are meaningless.”
Though COVID restrictions have ended, the legal precedent would allow similar government overreach in future emergencies. Advocates for Faith & Freedom and ACLJ will file their petition for certiorari in the coming weeks.
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Advocates for Faith & Freedom is a non-profit law firm dedicated to protecting constitutional and religious liberty in the courts. Our mission is to engage in cases that will uphold our religious liberty and America’s heritage and to educate Americans about our fundamental constitutional rights.