First Liberty Institute Senior Counsel Ryan Gardner told the Todd Starnes Show that his organization represents two Amish congregations in Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, where members say government regulations conflict with their centuries-old religious practices.

"Their request is a very simple one. They want to live according to their religious beliefs," Gardner said.

Gardner said the controversy began when the county moved its permitting process online without initially providing a paper alternative—a major problem for Amish residents whose religious practices generally restrict the use of modern technology.

The dispute eventually turned criminal.

"When one of our clients went into court to have his day in court on all of this, he was convicted of a criminal offense and put in jail for 30 days for not having a permit," Gardner said.

Gardner called incarceration for such an offense "exceedingly rare" and alleged county officials wanted "to make an example of him."

The situation became even more disturbing after the Amish man was jailed.

"While he was in jail, he was taken from his cell and forcibly had his mugshot taken against his will," Gardner said, noting that being photographed violated the man's religious beliefs.

The controversy presents a striking contrast in Minnesota, where political leaders have repeatedly stressed the importance of protecting and accommodating the state's large Somali-American and Muslim communities.

Yet Gardner says the Amish are asking for something far simpler: to be treated like Amish communities elsewhere in America.

"If you look across the country, communities everywhere make efforts to accommodate the Amish and they do so successfully without incident," Gardner said. "That's really all we're asking for here."

First Liberty, working with the Harvard Law School Religious Freedom Clinic and Foley & Lardner, sent a demand letter calling on Mille Lacs County to halt enforcement actions and accommodate the Amish.

Gardner said litigation could follow if officials refuse.

"The Amish, they simply want to be left alone, separate from society, to live out according to their beliefs with their families and their congregations," Gardner said.

For Minnesota officials who preach tolerance and religious diversity, the Amish case poses an uncomfortable question: Does religious accommodation apply to everyone—or only politically favored communities? Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

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