The ACLU has filed suit to obtain records about federal funds toward the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) because it will not recommend abortions to human trafficking victims.
In a statement about the lawsuit, the ACLU admits that it takes issue with the USCCB for having the practices it does “because of its religious beliefs.” The practices it objects to, not surprisingly, involve opposing abortion.
The USCCB received a $2 million grant from the federal government recently to help the victims of human trafficking, according to the ACLU.
ACLU Senior Staff Attorney Brigitte Amiri said, “We are shocked and deeply concerned to see history repeating itself with millions of taxpayer dollars funneled into the hands of a religious group that has a long history of refusing critical health care services to the most vulnerable people in their care.”
This “critical health care” is talking about abortion, which, by not supporting, lets the group “impose their religious beliefs on others,” according to the ACLU.
This is not the first time the ACLU has tried to fight against Catholic groups for their pro-life position. Just this week LifeNews reported on the ACLU’s lawsuit against the Trinity Health Corporation, which will be examined by a court March 23.
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The Senior Counsel from the pro-life legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, which is representing Trinity, said, “Forcing health care workers to act contrary to the very faith and ethical convictions that led them into the medical profession—to serve, help, and bring healing to people—is counterproductive, unnecessary, and against the law.”
In 2011, the Obama administration also revoked a grant that the Catholic group was receiving to help sex trafficking victims. The Obama administration revoked the grant to the bishops because they would not victimize women a second time with abortions.
In the ACLU statement, the organization criticizes the government for letting the USCCB “harm vulnerable populations,” without addressing the pro-life group’s belief that supporting abortion harms the most vulnerable population of all.
