–Brian William Kaufman

Catholic dioceses in Texas and Pennsylvania are challenging anti-LGBTQ non-discrimination protections tied to government funding of adoption and foster care services, protections that the Trump administration seeks to gut at the federal level.

The San Antonio Express News reported that the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston has joined a lawsuit with the Texas Attorney General’s Office and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) challenging the federal rules that prohibit agencies who receive federal grants from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

According to the lawsuit, the Archdiocese’s position is that it “may only provide foster care services consistent with its sincerely held beliefs on Catholic doctrine and social teaching…As such, the archdiocese cannot provide home studies and certifications for unmarried cohabitating or same-sex married couples.”

If the Archdiocese prevails, they will be able to legally deny prospective LGBTQ foster parents the ability to foster and adopt children. The Archdiocese is led by the outgoing president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Cardinal Daniel DiNardo.

Child welfare advocates have stated that there are an insufficient number of foster care placements in Texas, forcing some children to sleep in state offices. Further restrictions could exacerbate the existing shortage.