The Democracy Fund (TDF), a civil liberties organization, announced it is assisting members of an Amish community whose credit was damaged after being ticketed during the pandemic for failing to comply with the digital-only ArriveCan requirement. Each ticket carried a fine of roughly $6,000, and many families received multiple fines.

Due to their religious beliefs, Amish communities avoid modern technology such as smartphones and computers, making compliance with the federal app effectively impossible. As a result, many were convicted in absentia—without notice or representation—and had their names entered into collections and enforcement systems.

TDF lawyers have already succeeded in having many of the convictions overturned, but the financial damage lingered. Credit scores were impacted, liens were placed against properties, and families were denied loans critical to sustaining their farming operations.

🚨UPDATE: TDF assists Amish in repairing credit ratings

The Democracy Fund is assisting an Ontario Amish community with credit ratings due to COVID-era fines.

ONTARIO: During the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the Amish community were ticketed for allegedly failing to complete… pic.twitter.com/o2jVV4g8tL

— The Democracy Fund (@TDF_Can) May 29, 2025

In a new effort to resolve these issues, TDF has now secured court documents proving no outstanding fines or debts remain. These documents are being used to challenge inaccurate credit reporting and help the families restore access to financing.

“Despite our legal victories, these families were still being penalized financially for convictions that should never have happened,” said Adam Blake-Gallipeau, Senior Litigator at The Democracy Fund. “We’re now taking the next step to undo the lasting harm caused by these unfair and technologically discriminatory penalties.”

TDF says it remains committed to supporting the Amish community and ensuring that their religious way of life is not jeopardized by digital mandates that fail to account for faith-based exemptions.

REBEL NEWS: Help the Amish! (TDF)

A small, peaceful Amish community in Ontario has been hit with nearly $400,000 in COVID fines because they didn’t comply with the government’s ArriveCAN app during the pandemic. These fines aren’t just numbers on paper — they’ve severely impacted the lives of these Amish families. But their livelihoods and religious freedoms are now at stake, and they need us to stand with them. The Democracy Fund has agreed to take on their case, but they need your support. Please chip in a donation right here to contribute to their legal fund. Your donation will go directly to providing legal representation to fight these unjust fines. (The Democracy Fund is a registered Canadian charity, so you’ll receive a tax receipt for your contribution!)

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