by Robert Cornicelli President, @VFAFWarroom
Religious liberty is not a fringe concept or a political talking point. It is a foundational American right protected by the First Amendment. Yet today, families in four states New York, California, Connecticut, and Maine are living under laws that strip parents of the ability to exercise their sincerely held religious beliefs when it comes to their children’s medical decisions. These states have eliminated religious exemptions for childhood vaccine mandates, forcing families into an impossible choice: violate conscience or forfeit access to education.
That is why recent calls for the Department of Justice to intervene and take legal action are so critical. When states enact policies that directly burden the free exercise of religion, the federal government not only has the authority to act, it has an obligation to do so. Religious freedom does not end at the schoolhouse door, nor does it disappear because a policy is labeled public health.
Importantly, this issue is not abstract. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services itself has reinforced this principle. As highlighted in a recent HHS statement, the department reaffirmed that religious and conscience exemptions from childhood vaccine mandates must be respected. That clarification underscores a simple truth: federal law recognizes that religious liberty remains protected, even in the context of immunization programs. States that disregard this protection are operating on shaky constitutional ground.
Much of the momentum behind this renewed push for accountability can be credited to the tireless efforts of Cait Corrigan, an Ambassador for Veterans for America First. In that role, and as a committed advocate for constitutional freedoms, Corrigan has been on the front lines of this fight. She has met directly with members of Congress and their staff on Capitol Hill and engaged officials within the Department of Justice and leaders at Health and Human Services to ensure this issue is not ignored or buried. Her work has helped elevate the voices of families who have been sidelined by state overreach and brought national attention to policies that conflict with fundamental constitutional protections.
Advocates like Corrigan understand what is at stake. This is not about being anti science or anti health. It is about ensuring that government power has limits, that parental rights are respected, and that religious freedom is treated as a right rather than a privilege granted at the discretion of state lawmakers. When religious exemptions are eliminated, families are coerced, trust in institutions erodes, and constitutional guarantees are weakened for everyone.
The Department of Justice stepping in would send a clear message. States cannot selectively decide when the Constitution applies. If religious exemptions are protected under federal law and affirmed by HHS, then those protections must be enforced uniformly. Children should not lose access to education because their parents choose faith over compulsion.
This moment matters. The actions taken now will set precedents that affect families for generations. Thanks to the work of committed advocates and organizations like Veterans for America First and the growing scrutiny of unconstitutional state policies, there is hope that religious liberty for children can be restored through law.
PSA for MAHA & Medical Freedom Community#MAHA #MedicalFreedom #ReligiousExemptions
— Veterans for America First - Veterans for Trump (@VFAFWarroom) February 6, 2026
Cait Corrigan
VFAF National Ambassador
Veterans for America First
The Original 2015 Veterans for Trump Grassroots pic.twitter.com/DJntDVX0kZ
