President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi arrived at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC on March 14, 2025. The DOJ has been actively defending religious liberty under the Trump administration. Recent actions include filing statements of interest in land use cases for churches, launching a task force to address anti-Christian bias, and investigating an “anti-Catholic” law in Washington. Specifically, the DOJ is looking into a law that requires Catholic priests to disclose information obtained during confession related to child abuse. Bishop Thomas Daly has stated that priests will uphold the seal of confession even if it means facing legal consequences. Attorney General Pam Bondi convened a meeting of the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias in April, established through an executive order. Additionally, the DOJ has indicted a man for setting fire to a Mormon church and has filed statements of interest in cases involving religious discrimination in various states. The DOJ has been proactive in protecting religious freedom, utilizing laws such as the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). This initiative aims to safeguard religious assemblies and institutions from discrimination in zoning and land use regulations. The DOJ’s efforts signal a shift towards upholding religious freedom and combating bias against people of faith.
“Our experience indicates that engaging local officials early in the review process of land use applications from religious organizations can significantly reduce the chances of litigation under RLUIPA,” she noted. Senior counsel Jeremy Dys from First Liberty shared that in the past 11 years, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed about four statements of interest in religious land use cases, with two of them occurring recently under the Trump administration. Dys praised the Trump administration for swiftly defending religious liberty compared to the previous administration, emphasizing the importance of enforcing religious land use protections at the local level.
Dys expressed optimism about the administration’s prioritization of enforcing religious land use protections. However, he criticized the Biden administration for prosecuting pro-life activists while neglecting to address attacks on churches and pro-life pregnancy centers. Dhillon, in an interview with the DCNF, vowed that this approach would change under the new administration.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, numerous churches and pregnancy centers faced vandalism and other forms of damage. Despite these incidents, only a few cases were brought under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act against abortion activists, while a significantly higher number of cases were filed against pro-life activists. Dhillon highlighted the lack of DOJ action in protecting clinics and addressing violent attacks on pro-life facilities under the FACE Act.
All content produced by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an impartial newswire service, is freely available to legitimate news publishers. Republished articles must include the DCNF logo, the reporter’s byline, and their DCNF affiliation. For inquiries or partnerships, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
