Trump administration to make it easier for adoption agencies to reject same-sex couples: report

The Trump administration is considering two new rules changes that would make it easier for adoption agencies to deny adoptions to same-sex couples, according to a report from Axios. 

Two administration officials told Axios that the administration is considering one of two changes to Obama-era rules that prohibited adoption agencies from denying same-sex couples.

The first would do away with the Obama-era guidelines, while the second would add an exemption for religious groups.

Religious groups and social conservatives have opposed the guidelines put in place by the Obama administration.

{mosads}Reports of the administration’s plans follow President Trump’s indication of such a plan earlier this year at the annual National Prayer Breakfast, where he asserted that the rule change would allow adoption agencies to “help vulnerable children find their forever families while following their deeply held beliefs.”

An announcement of the rule change could come as early as July, according to Axios.

News of the plan comes the same week the Trump administration has faced criticism for a potential rule change being considered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that critics say would open the door to transgender people being barred from single-sex homeless shelters of their choice.

HUD Secretary Ben Carson spent Thursday clarifying testimony he gave to Congress this week about the policy after he stated that the agency was “not currently anticipating changing” the Equal Access Rule just one day before the agency announced that it was exploring changes to regulations on such shelters.

Carson told lawmakers on Thursday that the rule “is not being revised” and offered to meet with Democrats on Capitol Hill to go over potential changes to the rule.

“I abhor discrimination and want to assure you HUD is, and always will be, committed to protecting every person’s right to access to our programs without fear or discrimination,” Carson wrote.