Benignuman, Federal courts have rendered the bans on polygamy unenforceable from the viewpoint of preventing multiple religious marriages. Many fundamentalist Mormons have and are openly practicing it, and have been for well over a century. Several attempts at stopping them by the authorities, absent any other illegal activities, have been shot down by the Federal courts on the basis of freedom of religion (since they are religious only marriages.) More recently they have actually promoted their polygamy on TV shows, and despite one attempt of a State AG at charging them, the AG’s case was dismissed by the court. More recently many African Muslim immigrants to the US are also openly practicing polygamy in the US, without hindrance, including in NYC. More recently Federal courts, in addition to the aforementioned freedom of religion basis to allow religious multiple marriages, have also ruled even against Utah’s nominal statue in its books against polygamy. About a year ago the appeals court mooted the case on the basis that the AG said the State no longer enforces it anyways.
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