Massachusetts Threatens to Revoke Christians' Foster Care License

BOSTON — Nick and Audrey Jones, a Christian couple from Massachusetts, filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against the state’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) with support from Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys. The lawsuit, Jones v. Mahaniah, challenges DCF’s decision to revoke the Joneses’ foster-care license due to their religious beliefs, despite the state’s urgent need for foster families.

Since 2023, the Joneses have provided a loving home for seven children under six, including a 17-month-old girl they’ve cared for since she was two months old. DCF’s new policy demands foster parents affirm a child’s gender identity, including supporting social and medical transitions and using chosen pronouns, even if it violates their faith. The Joneses, guided by biblical teachings, face losing their foster child and license solely for their beliefs about gender identity.

“Massachusetts is putting ideology ahead of children’s needs,” said ADF Senior Counsel Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse. With over 1,400 children awaiting placement, the lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts, argues DCF’s policy violates the Joneses’ First Amendment rights by conditioning foster care on renouncing their religious convictions.

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