In 2017, the executive branch rescinded an Obama-era policy that prohibited federally funded organizations from discriminating based on religion when providing social services. This action effectively allowed faith-based organizations receiving federal funding to prioritize coreligionists in hiring and service provision, even if those services were taxpayer-funded. An example would be a faith-based adoption agency receiving federal funds being permitted to decline services to same-sex couples or non-religious individuals, based on the organization’s religious beliefs.
The reversal was presented as a measure to protect religious freedom and ensure that faith-based organizations could continue to participate in social service programs without compromising their religious tenets. Proponents argued that the previous policy infringed upon religious liberty by forcing organizations to choose between their faith and serving their communities. Opponents, however, asserted that the change enabled discrimination against individuals based on their religious beliefs or other protected characteristics, undermining the principle of equal access to government-funded services.
