Kate Sosin of the Windy City Times reported on the Catholic Charities v. DCFS hearing, a case in which the ACLU of Illinois has been granted permission to intervene. The four Catholic Charities diocese that recently lost contracts with the state to carry on foster services, insist they have a right to refuse couples in a civil union foster care services because of their religious beliefs that marriage is defined as being between a man and a woman. ACLU of Illinois attorney Karen Sheley argued on behalf of foster children and couples in a civil union who are being discriminated against.

Karen Sheley, a lawyer with the ACLU said that a refusal to place children with same-sex civil union partners would harm LGBT children in foster care and discourage LGBT couples from becoming foster parents.

"When they send [a case] to another agency, it doesn't solve the problem," she said. "It's still discrimination."

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