By 5 Towns Central Staff

NEW YORK (August 27, 2026)

New York’s Amish community is taking its battle against the state’s school vaccine requirements back to the Supreme Court, with community members warning they could leave New York if they are ultimately forced to comply.

The legal dispute began after New York eliminated religious exemptions for school vaccination requirements in 2019. Amish families and schools have challenged the policy, arguing that mandatory vaccination conflicts with their religious beliefs and way of life.

The state has also imposed $2,000 fines on Amish schools that refuse to comply. Three schools involved in the lawsuit have accumulated approximately $118,000 in penalties, while attorneys say similar fines could potentially apply to Amish schools across the state.

Attorney Hiram Sasser described the case as a significant test of religious freedom, while fellow attorney Aaron Siri said the Amish could face the loss of their property if the fines continue to mount.

The Supreme Court previously sent the case back to the 2nd Circuit, which again ruled against the Amish. Their attorneys are expected to ask the Supreme Court to take up the case once more.

The Amish generally avoid litigation and reject many modern medical practices, with plaintiff Ezra Wengerd saying the vaccination requirements conflict with his community’s religious convictions and reliance on God.

Amish plaintiffs have successfully challenged government requirements in other states, including cases involving photo identification, buggy safety regulations and building codes.

Legal experts caution, however, that the current case faces significant hurdles. Wayne State law professor Christopher Lund noted that the 2nd Circuit has rejected multiple religious challenges to vaccine mandates and that the Supreme Court has historically been reluctant to intervene in such disputes.

The New York Health Department maintains that vaccination requirements are necessary to protect public health and must be applied consistently.

The Department of Health and Human Services, meanwhile, has pointed to President Trump’s recent executive order emphasizing parental choice and religious freedom in childhood vaccination decisions. HHS said Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s department will work to protect parents’ ability to make healthcare decisions consistent with their beliefs.