The Intercept is reporting that the state government of South Carolina is lobbying to allow a foster care agency to deny children to parents who are not Protestant. The move comes at the request of Miracle Hill Ministries, which dominates the foster care service in the state and refuses to send children to Jewish families.
Beth Lesser, who belongs to the family being denied, told The Intercept, “Understand, in the upstate of South Carolina, if you want to be a foster parent or a mentor, there’s [Department of Social Service], which is the government. And there’s Miracle Hill. There really isn’t anybody else.” She added, “What Miracle Hill does, is they scoop up these kids from foster care, and they have these group homes. And then once they get the kids in there, their whole objective is to indoctrinate them into their brand of Christianity.”
The state’s DSS has said they would not renew Miracle Hill’s license unless it stops discriminating. However, the foster care agency has powerful friends in the state’s legislature who are lobbying the Trump administration to grant an exception.
An order granting the exception has been prepared. According to The Intercept, “It’s awaiting final signature on the desk of Secretary Alex Azar at the Department of Health and Human Services. If granted, Miracle Hill will be allowed to continue denying qualified families from adopting kids based on religious views.”