The U.S. government was founded to serve the American people, not to proselytize them, said Rachel Laser, president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. But U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins have…
Coalition urges care for freedom of religion and speech
Freedom of religion and freedom of speech are deeply interwoven, and a threat to one is a danger to the other, representatives from more than 20 faith and civil rights organizations said. “We come together as librarians, diverse clergy, constitutional…
Feds can’t demand loyalty to Trump from job applicants
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management cannot force federal job applicants to profess loyalty to President Donald Trump on employment applications as a lawsuit against the practice proceeds, a federal judge ruled recently. “Requiring federal job applicants to answer politically…
Supreme Court blocks Trump’s attack on voting by mail
The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked part of a Trump administration effort to interfere with the midterm elections by instituting last-minute complicated rules governing mail-in balloting. The Sept. 14 ruling upheld a lower court decision preventing the U.S. Postal Service…
High court gave them an inch, now these conservatives want a mile
Conservative legal groups are using a narrowly focused Supreme Court ruling to challenge inclusive policies in public schools, according to a new report by Democracy Forward. The 2025 Mahmoud v. Taylor decision held that a Maryland school district must provide…
Groups seek to prevent Trump from sending armed agents to polling places
A new lawsuit seeks to prevent the Trump administration from violating federal law by sending armed federal agents into polling places during the midterm elections. The litigation comes in response to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s recent comments…
Attorney says she was fired for not doing Trump favor for Mel Gibson
A former U.S. pardon attorney fired for not restoring the gun rights of actor and director Mel Gibson has sued the Justice Department claiming unlawful termination. Elizabeth Oyer alleges she was fired because Gibson, who lost firearm rights due to…
Trump appeals to Supreme Court to control voter database
The Trump administration appealed directly to the U.S. Supreme Court Sept. 8 seeking clearance to implement a database it wants to use to purge voter rolls leading into the midterm elections. The move came just four days after a federal…
Perryman’s book an instant bestseller with advice for saving democracy
It’s time to pick up a shovel and stop complaining about the impending death of democracy in America, according to Skye Perryman. The president of Democracy Forward in Washington, D.C., is well known to BNG readers because she is frequently…
Court overrules Trump ban on visas based on nationality
The Trump administration broke U.S. law with a policy denying visas to people based on nationality, a federal court has ruled. U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas in New York held Aug. 21 that the 75-nation ban exceeded U.S. Secretary of…
Undercover ICE agent spies on Baptist church
Leaders and members of a Minnesota Baptist church were stunned and angered to learn recently that an undercover immigration agent entered their facilities to spy on the congregation in May. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer reportedly entered University Baptist…
Fourth Circuit upholds order protecting houses of worship from ICE
A Trump administration policy that gives immigration officers free rein to carry out enforcement actions at or near the houses of worship was blocked again today by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit today. The Aug. 18…