U.S. Second Circuit Upholds Forced Vaccination of Amish Children in New York

The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Amish parents cannot refuse COVID‑19 vaccination for their children, allowing New York State to mandate the shots despite religious objections. The decision stems from the case Miller v. McDonald, which involves 168 unvaccinated Amish children and was previously vacated by the Supreme Court before being remanded for reconsideration. The court again ruled in favor of forced vaccination, asserting that the state's interest in public health outweighs the Amish community's religious freedom claims.

Critics argue the ruling violates constitutional protections and point to health data suggesting the Amish children have lower rates of chronic conditions such as allergies, asthma, ADHD and autism compared with the vaccinated U.S. child population. Legal advocates for the Amish say the case will continue to be fought, potentially returning to the Supreme Court.