A hospital in New Mexico has been put on notice that it is not allowed to just change its “rules” and by that means push its employees into violating their constitutionally protected religious rights and become part of the region’s lucrative abortion industry.

The dispute is being reported by the American Center for Law and Justice, which has written to Presbyterian Hospital there about its scheme.

The ACLJ reported, “We sent a critical legal letter explaining that the hospital’s new policy of refusing religious accommodations violates several provisions of federal law and Supreme Court precedent. If Presbyterian Hospital does not comply with the law and grant our clients a religious accommodation not to participate in an abortion in any situation, we are prepared to take aggressive legal action to defend their rights. No one should be forced to take the life of an innocent human being.”

The plan is similar to the process that the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris administration repeatedly has used to force an extreme agenda on Americans.

For example, they decided simply to redefine the word “sex” to mean “gender identity” to create new ways to persecute those individuals who don’t subscribed to the “woke” LGBT ideology. Their result is that they claim members of Congress, when they were creating sex non-discriminations laws 50 or 60 years ago actually meant “gender identity” instead of sex, that being male or female.

The legal team explained it is three ultrasound technicians who soon could be forced to choose between following their faith, or keeping their jobs.

The report said the facility this year “started working with an abortionist in the area and is now assisting that abortionist in performing abortions. Due to its religious roots, the hospital had never provided abortions before.”

In that relationship, the abortionist has been giving “orders” for ultrasound techs to help in the abortions.

“Since abortion is contrary to their religious beliefs, most of the ultrasound technicians working at Presbyterian Hospital have refused to assist with abortions.”

The hospital addressed this by “changing its religious accommodation policy, which previously fully exempted employees from participating in abortions against their conscience.”

The legal team explained hospital officials was trying to “carve out” exceptions “so it can force all of its employees to assist in abortions.”

However, “Assisting with abortions goes against the employees’ conscience and is a violation of their religious freedom. Because the hospital receives federal funding, it is subject to the federal conscience laws that, in the words of the Supreme Court in FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (‘AHA’), ‘allow doctors and other healthcare personnel to refus[e] to perform or assist’ an abortion without punishment or discrimination from their employers.'”

The legal team noted the hospital can’t even force the technicians to help with abortion “in emergency” situations, as “the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) does not override federal conscience laws,” according to the Supreme Court.

The policy change attempted by the hospital infringes on the workers civil rights under federal law, the report said.

The high court’s opinion noted, “An employer who fails to provide an accommodation has a defense only if the hardship is ‘undue.'”

The ACLJ reported, “Even if the hospital does not understand the ultrasound technicians’ strong stance against abortion, it cannot deny the request for religious accommodation. The burden of not accommodating the employees’ religious practice would not be substantial on the hospital, but it would greatly infringe on the employees’ freedom of religion.”

Bob Unruh

Bob Unruh joined WND in 2006 after nearly three decades with the Associated Press, as well as several Upper Midwest newspapers, where he covered everything from legislative battles and sports to tornadoes and homicidal survivalists. He is also a photographer whose scenic work has been used commercially. Read more of Bob Unruh's articles here.