Lawsuits Against NYC Coronavirus Lockdowns Head To Supreme Court

BROOKLYN, NY — As rising coronavirus cases across New York City threaten another "orange zone" lockdown — this time across all five boroughs — religious organizations are still fighting the restrictions brought on by the first round of state-mandated lockdown zones in Brooklyn and Queens.

Both the Brooklyn Diocese and the Jewish nonprofit Agudath Israel of America have taken lawsuits they filed in October against Gov. Andrew Cuomo's zoned coronavirus restrictions to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the limits on houses of worship violate their religious freedom.

The latest injunctions aim to block the executive order that Cuomo has used to create color-coded lockdown zones when coronavirus rates rise in a certain part of the state.

The original zones in Brooklyn and Queens the groups disagreed with have since been scaled back, but Cuomo has said all of New York City could soon fall under a new "orange zone" given increasing rates of the virus.

Agudath Israel — which include synagogues in Kew Gardens Hills and Madison Brooklyn as plaintiffs — said with their injunction this week that the lockdown rules unfairly target houses of worship while allowing other businesses to stay open.

“While we continue to emphasize safety in our communities, government cannot, under the guise of health, be allowed to have one set of rules for religious activities and another rulebook for secular activities,” said Agudath's Chief of Staff Avrohom Weinstock.

Under Cuomo's rules, houses of worship are limited to 10 people in a red zone and 25 people in an orange zone. The orange zone rules close only high-risk businesses like gyms and indoor dining, while the red zone allows only essential businesses, such as supermarkets, to stay open.

New York Attorney General Letitia James has already responded to the Supreme Court injunctions, arguing that houses of worship have actually been treated "more favorably than comparable gatherings" in some instances. She also noted that religious gatherings have a "documented history" of becoming COVID-19 super-spreader events.

The New York case is not the first time coronavirus-induced restrictions on religious gatherings have faced the Supreme Court.

The court sided against religious institutions in similar cases in California and Nevada, according to reports.