A Texas federal judge has finalized a permanent injunction preventing the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from enforcing Biden-era rules against two religious groups. The Dr. James Dobson Family Institute and United in Purpose, two Christian organizations, previously successfully sued the agencies. Those groups claim that the federal agency rules related to abortion, fertility, and gender-affirming care violated their rights under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). The case is Dr. James Dobson Family Institute et al. v. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. et al., Case Number 4:24-cv-986, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
The organizations filed to dismiss the remaining claims in their lawsuit, including their various First Amendment claims. They asked the judge to finalize the decision he issued in their favor in August 2025. The judge’s permanent injunction will allow either side to pursue an appeal and seek an award of attorney’s fees.
The nonprofit Christian groups filed their suit in late 2024, challenging the legality of certain provisions of Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the EEOC’s interpretation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The disputed provisions involve requiring employee health plans to cover abortion and gender-affirming care. The groups also challenged the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), which covers workers having abortions or seeking fertility treatment, and the EEOC’s 2024 anti-harassment guidance. That guidance instructs employers to use workers’ chosen pronouns and allow restroom usage that aligns with workers’ gender identity.
According to the religious groups, offering healthcare coverage to their employees for abortion, infertility treatments, or gender-affirming care is antithetical to their Christian beliefs, as is using “the language of gender ideology.” Ultimately, the judge ruled that the various EEOC and HHS regulations violate RFRA and “substantially burden” the groups’ exercise of religion. Likewise, the judge found that the groups face a real threat of enforcement, even though the federal government claims that the regulations do not run afoul of RFRA.
As a result of these findings, the judge issued a multipronged injunction that prevents the federal government from enforcing Section 1557 of the ACA with respect to providing insurance coverage for gender-affirming care, abortions, or infertility treatments. Under the terms of the injunction, EEOC also may not enforce the PWFA in a way that would require the groups to accommodate employees who wish to have abortions or engage in infertility treatments. The EEOC also may not enforce Title VII, which would penalize the groups for speaking about abortions, infertility treatments, or other gender-related issues that conflict with their religious beliefs.
The injunction covers the two groups that filed suit, as well as all present and future United in Purpose members. United in Purpose previously stated in court filings that its employer members number 65.
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