WASHINGTON – Many Americans feel like their religious freedom is under attack and fear that their beliefs will soon be marginalized as a form of bigotry. Others think these fears are overblown and say Christians should stop complaining about imaginary persecution. In Free to Believe, Luke Goodrich challenges both sides of this debate, offering a fresh perspective on the most controversial religious freedom conflicts today, including battles over gay rights, abortion rights, Islam, and the public square. He argues that threats to religious freedom are real—but they might not be quite what you think.

Join Luke Goodrich for a discussion of the themes of this timely book this morning.

When:

Tuesday, October 22, 2019 at 11 a.m. EST

Call-in: 646-876-9923 | Pin #: 930-944-5568 | or join http://zoom.us/my/comms.line.external
Email questions in advance to media@becketlaw.org.

For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Ryan Colby at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7219. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

WASHINGTON – The United States Department of Justice filed a statement of interest on Friday supporting the Archdiocese of Indianapolis’s right to decide what it means to be Catholic without government interference. In Payne-Elliott v. Archdiocese of Indianapolis, a former teacher is suing the Archdiocese after he lost his job at a Catholic high school for entering a same-sex civil union in violation of his employment agreement. The Justice Department’s statement says, “The First Amendment demands that this lawsuit be dismissed.”

All teachers in the Archdiocese’s schools agree to uphold the teachings of the Catholic Church in both their professional and private lives. In 2017, Joshua Payne-Elliott, who taught at Cathedral Catholic High School in Indianapolis, entered a same-sex civil union in violation of both his employment agreement and centuries of Catholic teaching. After two years of discernment and dialogue, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis informed the school that if it wanted to remain affiliated with the Catholic Church, it needed to require that its teachers not live in defiance of Church teaching. Cathedral then separated from Mr. Payne-Elliott, who sued the Archdiocese, alleging that the Archdiocese illegally interfered with his agreement.

“If the First Amendment means anything, it means the government can’t punish the Catholic Church for saying who is Catholic,” said Luke Goodrich, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, which is representing the Archdiocese. “This lawsuit fails on so many levels; we’re glad to see the Department of Justice weighing in.”

It is relatively rare for the Department of Justice to file a statement of interest in state court. The Department tends to file statements of interest only when a violation of federal law is particularly clear or significant. Mr. Payne-Elliott’s lawsuit was filed on July 10 in Marion Superior Court in Indianapolis. The Archdiocese has asked for the lawsuit to be dismissed, and a decision is expected in the coming weeks.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Ryan Colby at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7219. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

WASHINGTON – A vice president and other officers at the University of Iowa must pay out of their own pockets for discriminating against a religious student group. In InterVarsity v. University of Iowa, a federal court ruled that the University and its officers violated the law when they kicked InterVarsity off campus for asking its leaders to be Christian. A dozen other religious groups—including Sikhs, Muslims, and Latter-day Saints—were also kicked off campus for requiring their leaders to share their faith. But all secular groups and a few religious groups favored by the University got a pass. In a ruling last Friday, the court held that this discrimination was so egregious that the officers involved would be personally accountable for any money InterVarsity lost fighting to stay on campus. The court left open the possibility that the University’s president, Bruce Harreld, could also be found liable.

InterVarsity has been at the University for over 25 years. It welcomes all students as members, and only requires the students who lead its ministry to affirm its faith. In the past, the University has honored InterVarsity for its contributions to campus life. But in June 2018, the University claimed that, by requiring leaders to affirm their faith, InterVarsity was violating the University’s nondiscrimination policy. The University then limited InterVarsity’s access to campus, froze its bank account, shut down its website, and advertised that it was “defunct” for lack of student interest. As a result, InterVarsity suffered its sharpest membership decline in over twenty years. Friday’s ruling confirmed that the University’s actions violated the Constitution and ordered the University to respect InterVarsity’s right to select religious leaders going forward.

“We must have leaders who share our faith,” said Greg Jao, Director of External Relations at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA. “No group—religious or secular—could survive with leaders who reject its values. We’re grateful the court has stopped the University’s religious discrimination, and we look forward to continuing our ministry on campus for years to come.”

InterVarsity USA is on 772 campuses nationwide. Its University of Iowa chapter hosts weekly Bible studies and monthly meetings for prayer, worship, and religious discussions on current issues. In upholding the group’s right to be on campus, the court noted that, just last January—in the related case of BLinC v. University of Iowa—it already warned the University against enforcing its policy unevenly. The court stated it “would never have expected the University to respond to that order by homing in on religious groups[]” like InterVarsity, while “carving out explicit exemptions for other groups. But here we are.” The court did “not know how a reasonable person could have concluded this was acceptable,” since it “plainly” doubled down on the exact same conduct the court had already held unlawful. In a hearing last week, the court described the University’s conduct as “ludicrous” and “incredibly baffling.”

“It’s too bad it took twice for the University to learn its lesson,” said Daniel Blomberg, senior counsel at Becket. “There was no excuse the first time for squashing students’ First Amendment rights. University officials nationwide should now take note that religious discrimination will hit them in the pocketbook.”

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Ryan Colby at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7219. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

WASHINGTON – In a common-sense win for religious minorities yesterday, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) changed a rule that would have barred high-school tennis star Joseph Chung from participating in any postseason competition this fall. In Chung v. WIAA, Becket is representing Joseph and his older sister, Joelle, a Seventh-day Adventist who was disqualified from Washington state tennis postseason competition last season because the last day of the championship tournament fell on a Saturday, their faith’s Sabbath.

WIAA rules formerly required all participants to certify that they would be able to participate in each level of the tournament to qualify for the championships, with exceptions for injury, illness or unforeseen events, but not for sincerely held religious beliefs. This meant that if even one day of the postseason were scheduled to conflict with the Sabbath, Saturday Sabbath observers would be barred from participating in every day of the postseason, even for games or matches that presented no conflict at all. That is what happened to Joelle last year, who was excluded from postseason play in her senior year after having never faced a conflict between a regular season match and the Sabbath in her entire four-year career.

Under the amended rules, religious observance has been added to the list of exceptions allowing a player to withdraw from competition without being penalized. However, the rule change is only a partial victory because the WIAA continues to insist that it cannot adjust the schedule of the 2020 championship, even if one of the remaining contenders has a Sabbath conflict.

“No student-athlete should be kept on the sidelines because he has the ‘wrong’ faith,” said Joe Davis, counsel at Becket. “It’s a step in the right direction that Joseph is now able to play in postseason, but we will continue fighting for a solution that will ensure that Sabbath observers can compete all the way through the state championships on the same terms as all other student-athletes.”

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Ryan Colby at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7219. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

WASHINGTON – Ten states and 44 members of Congress urged the Supreme Court yesterday to hear Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, a case brought by two Philly foster mothers challenging the City of Philadelphia’s harmful actions which threaten the future of the faith-based foster agency that brought their families together. Texas, Ohio, and Oklahoma, among other states, joined a friend-of-the-court brief agreeing with Becket that faith-based foster agencies play a vital role in addressing the national foster crisis that has become even more urgent in light of today’s opioid epidemic.

Sharonell Fulton and Toni Simms-Busch are Philadelphia foster mothers standing with Catholic Social Services (CSS) and all foster children in need of homes. Sharonell has fostered more than 40 children over 25 years. Toni is a former social worker who fostered two young brothers through Catholic Social Services and has now adopted them. In July, Becket asked the Supreme Court to hear Sharonell and Toni’s case and prevent vulnerable foster children from losing out on the opportunity to be placed in a loving home.

Ten states argued that “[W]orking with a diverse coalition of child-placing agencies provides better services to children in foster care and the potential parents eager to care for them,” and asked the Supreme Court to take the case to protect their ability to work with diverse agencies, including faith-based agencies.

Forty-four members of Congress urged the Court to take the case because “Religiously motivated providers and parents have played a critical role in filling this need for centuries from coast to coast, and to drive them out ignores the critical need and the grave harm to children that would be caused by their loss.”

Last year, Philadelphia put out a call for 300 more foster families to care for the growing number of children in need. Just days later, the city stopped placing children in homes certified and overseen by CSS solely because the city disagreed with the agency’s religious beliefs on marriage. Worse still, the city took these actions even though not a single same-sex couple had ever come to CSS seeking to foster. Without new referrals, the number of children in homes certified and cared for by CSS has dwindled, leaving foster families’ homes empty and forcing CSS to reduce their staff. The only way CSS can care for foster children is through a contract and license with the city. If the city cuts ties with CSS, the agency will soon be forced to close its 100-year-old foster care ministry.

“The foster care system relies on agencies that reflect the diversity of our communities,” said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket. “That’s why it is so important to have faith-based agencies working alongside agencies that cater to ethnic and racial minorities, children with disabilities, and LGBT families.”

The court is expected to decide whether to take the case sometime this fall. Becket is defending another faith-based foster agency from government discrimination in Michigan in Buck v. Gordon.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Ryan Colby at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7219. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

WASHINGTON – Two siblings and star high-school tennis players are going to court to defend their right to compete in the state championships while keeping their Sabbath day. In Chung v. WIAA, Joelle Chung was barred from competing in the Washington state tennis postseason tournament because the championships fell on a Saturday, her faith’s Sabbath. Becket argues that no student-athlete should be kept on the sidelines for their faith when accommodations are possible and is asking that the rule that kept Joelle from competing be changed so that her brother Joseph can participate in the state championships this fall.

As faithful Seventh-day Adventists, the Chung family observes the Sabbath by devoting time for rest and worship every week from Friday at sundown to Saturday at sundown. In 2019, her senior season, Joelle was undefeated and expected to win in the qualifying tournaments and advance to the state championships. But the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) scheduled the state championships for Saturday, her Sabbath. This meant that, according to WIAA rules, she was disqualified from participating at all in the postseason, even though the only conflict between the Sabbath and the tournament would have been the very last day.

“As a senior, it was hard giving everything I had to support my team all season, only to be forced to sit out the entire postseason simply because of my faith,” said Joelle Chung. “I’ll never get the chance to play for a state championship again, but hopefully this case will protect other Seventh-day Adventists like my brother from having to choose between sports and their faith.”

Each year the WIAA holds a statewide postseason tennis tournament. According to WIAA rules, all participants must certify that they will be able to participate in each level of the tournament to qualify for the championships, with exceptions for injury, illness or unforeseen events. Hoping to make a compromise, the Chungs asked the WIAA to move the state championships to a weekday or simply allow Joelle to participate in the qualifying tournaments and use an alternate for the championships, just like athletes with injuries or illness can. The WIAA flatly denied their requests, forcing the Chung siblings to court.

“No student-athlete should be kept from competition because of their faith,” said Joe Davis, counsel at Becket. “The WIAA’s rule hurts religious minorities and students of many faiths who honor the longstanding practice of keeping the Sabbath.”

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Ryan Colby at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7219. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

WASHINGTON – Sharonell Fulton and Toni Simms-Busch, Philadelphia foster mothers standing up for faith-based foster agencies and all foster children in need of homes, asked the Supreme Court yesterday to hear their case. In Fulton v. Philadelphia, the City of Philadelphia is threatening to close one of its most successful foster care agencies because it disagrees with their religious views on marriage—and foster kids are paying the price. 

Catholic Social Services has been serving the foster children of Philadelphia and their families since 1917, long before the city got involved. Ms. Fulton was a longtime foster parent who fostered more than 40 children with the help of Catholic Social Services, and Ms. Simms-Busch is a former social worker in the foster care system who recently decided to become a foster and adoptive parent herself. After two federal courts ruled against them, Ms. Fulton, Ms. Simms-Busch, and Catholic Social Services are now turning to the Supreme Court to protect the agency that has brought so many families together.

“As a social worker I evaluated the quality of care provided by all of the foster agencies in Philadelphia. When I decided to become a foster parent myself, I chose to go through the agency that I trusted the most,” said Ms. Simms-Busch. “The consistency, integrity, and compassion of Catholic Social Services has made all the difference in my journey through the foster care process.”

In March 2018, the city put out a call for 300 new families to help support the growing number of Philly foster children, a need caused in part by the opioid crisis. Just days later Philadelphia stopped allowing children to be placed in the homes of families who work with Catholic Social Services, all because of the agency’s beliefs on same-sex marriage. The City did this even though the agency had not had a single complaint filed against it and had never been approached by a same-sex couple hoping to foster.

“As the City of Philadelphia attempts to shamelessly score political points, dozens of beds remain empty and children are suffering the consequences,” said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket. “It’s time for the Supreme Court to weigh in and allow faith-based agencies to continue doing what they do best: giving vulnerable children loving homes.” 

On April 22, 2019, the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled against Catholic Social Services. Becket has asked the Supreme Court to hear the foster mothers’ case.  

WASHINGTON – Una familia católica en Texas está demandando a su distrito escolar para que permita a sus hijos participar en actividades deportivas y extracurriculares sin que tengan que cortarse un pequeño mechón de pelo trenzado como parte de una promesa a Dios.  En una carta enviada a la escuela Mathis Independent School Board el día de hoy, Becket advirtió a la escuela que “perderá cientos de miles de dólares si no respeta los derechos de estos estudiantes” y le dio a la escuela hasta el 12 de agosto, cuando empiezan las actividades escolares, como plazo para que resuelva el caso.

En 2017, cuando Cesar y Diego Gonzales entraron a séptimo grado en la escuela Mathis Middle School en Texas, se les dijo que tenían que cortase su mechón de pelo. Este mechón es parte de una promesa religiosa que los niños han cumplido desde que nacieron. Y por esa promesa religiosa se les excluyó de todas las competencias inter escolares de la liga University Interscholastic League (UIL) tanto deportivas como de clubes. Desde hace dos años a Cesar no se le permite jugar en el equipo de football y a Diego se le prohíbe ser parte del consejo estudiantil y de los clubes de arte y de programación de computadoras. Los entrenadores de la escuela le dijeron a Cesar: “Lo único que necesitas para tener tu equipo de football es una cortadita con las tijeras”.

“La promesa religiosa de dejarse crecer un mechón de pelo no debería ser causa para que una escuela le impida a los niños hacer touchdowns o participar en el consejo estudiantil”, dijo Montse Alvarado, directora ejecutiva de Becket. “La directiva de la escuela debería dar a estos niños la oportunidad de participar activamente en los clubes y actividades que elijan, no únicamente porque no ganarían este caso en la corte, sino porque lo correcto es permitirles participar”.

Cuando Cesar era bebé contrajo una grave enfermedad, y Pedro y Belen Gonzales hicieron una promesa a Dios de dejarle un mechón de su pelo sin cortar para que sanara.  Desde entonces, la familia ha mantenido esta práctica religiosa personal y sus hijos la han adoptado también como suya. Y a pesar de que el código de vestir de la escuela prohíbe que los estudiantes varones se dejen crecer el pelo más allá de la altura del cuello de la camisa, el distrito escolar aprobó una exención de este requisito para los niños de kínder a sexto grado, y pudieron participar sin problema en las actividades escolares. La asociación de consejos de escuelas en Texas, The Texas Association of School Boards, dictamina que los distritos escolares “deben tomar en consideración las peticiones de exención [del código de vestir] provenientes de una sincera creencia religiosa del estudiante o de sus padres.” Pero al empezar el séptimo grado, se les prohibió participar en todas la competencias deportivas y clubes de la UIL.

“En la época en que vivimos, las escuelas deben abrir sus puertas y recibir a los estudiantes de distintas creencias”, dijo Alvarado. “Pero estos niños están siendo traumatizados innecesariamente y son el blanco de los mismos profesores que tienen el deber de protegerlos de este tipo de bullying”.

La carta de Becket le informa al distrito que, si no llegan a una resolución con la familia Gonzales para el 12 de agosto, Becket esta preparado para intervenir y defender el derecho de Cesar y de Diego de aprender y jugar al igual que sus compañeros de clase. La familia Gonzales esta siendo representada por el abogado Frank Rey Gonzales de Corpus Christi, Texas.

Para obtener más información o para concertar una entrevista con un abogado de Becket, favor de contactar a Ryan Colby en media@becketlaw.org o 202-349-7219. Las entrevistas se pueden hacer en inglés, chino, francés, alemán, portugués, ruso y español. 

WASHINGTON – A Christian student group asked a federal court today to rule that public universities must treat religious student groups equally with other campus groups. In InterVarsity Christian Fellowship v. Wayne State University, InterVarsity had its 75-year-old student organization status suddenly revoked by Wayne State University’s administration because the Christian student group asks its leaders to embrace its faith. But other student groups, such as the Quidditch Club, are allowed to select leaders and members based on the groups’ missions. InterVarsity is seeking equal treatment with those groups.

InterVarsity’s Wayne State chapter is one of over 400 student organizations at the university, which allows dozens of groups to have requirements for membership and leadership positions. The Secular Student Alliance can require their leaders to be secularists, Students for Life can require their leaders to be pro-life, and both Greek groups and sports clubs (like the Quidditch Club) can limit members or leaders to a single gender. But in the fall of 2017, after 75 years of serving the campus community, InterVarsity’s student organization status was revoked, all their meetings were cancelled and they were scrubbed from the school’s website because they require their leaders to be Christian. According to Wayne State, InterVarsity’s common-sense leadership policy was suddenly “discriminatory.” In court today, Becket argued that Wayne State’s actions were unfair and unconstitutional.

“InterVarsity seeks to serve Wayne State University, its students and faculty, and the local community,” said Greg Jao, Director of External Relations at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA. “We invite the university to embrace a common-sense understanding of its nondiscrimination policy. The policy should protect, rather than penalize, religious groups that seek to retain their religious identity on campus.”

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship is a national organization of Christian college students with over 1,100 chapters in schools throughout the country. At Wayne State, InterVarsity provides a place for Christian students to gather together and practice their faith through Bible studies, worship opportunities and service projects. InterVarsity welcomes all students as members, and anyone is welcome to participate in its activities.

With Becket’s help, InterVarsity took Wayne State to court to defend its right to select leaders who share the group’s beliefs and mission, just like other student groups on campus. After the lawsuit was filed, Wayne State temporarily relented, but still argued that InterVarsity was discriminating in violation of the law and could be kicked off at any time.

“If the Campus Democrats can pick progressive leaders, and Sigma Pi can require their members to be only men, Wayne State should have known they were asking for a fight by denying InterVarsity the same treatment,” said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket. “There is no excuse for the blatant religious targeting that these students have faced.”

The court is expected to issue a decision in this case in the fall.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Ryan Colby at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7219. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Dr. Barry C. Black, 62^nd Chaplain of the U.S. Senate, has been named Becket’s 2019 Canterbury Medalist for his honorable defense of religious liberty for people of all faiths. The Canterbury Medal, Becket’s highest honor, recognizes an individual who has demonstrated courage and commitment to defending religious liberty in America and around the world. In carrying out a tradition that goes back to the first Continental Congress in 1774, Chaplain Black honors his position just as the founding fathers asked – with courage and faith in democracy. Becket will honor Chaplain Black with the 2019 Canterbury Medal at its annual Gala in New York on Thursday, May 23.

Chaplain Barry C. Black has served as Senate Chaplain since 2003. First-ever Seventh-day Adventist and African American Senate Chaplain, he is the spiritual advisor for not only 100 of the most powerful lawmakers in the nation, but also their staff and families – a combined constituency of over seven thousand people. Each morning as he opens the Senate with a prayer, Chaplain Black sets the discourse for the day in one of the highest chambers in the nation, in turn setting the spiritual tone of the country.

In her tribute to Chaplain Black, Evangelist Alveda King noted, “There are those who would separate the soul of an individual from the actions they take. The chaplaincy, and Chaplain Black can be a bastion against this excessive separation. May Chaplain Black follow in the footsteps of Christ, while seeking human rights and civil rights as leaders like my uncle, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., did. May God bless Chaplain Black as he seeks the fostering of a well-developed conscience in the Senate.”

Prior to serving on Capitol Hill, Rear Admiral Barry C. Black (Ret.) served in the U.S. Navy for over 27 years, ending his distinguished career as the Chief of Navy Chaplains. Affectionately known for sporting his signature bowtie on the Senate floor, Chaplain Black is a sought-after spiritual guide and unfailing source of encouraging words on faith and unity. His books on those themes include The Blessing of Adversity, Nothing to Fear, Make Your Voice Heard in Heaven, and his autobiography of overcoming personal adversity, From the Hood to the Hill.

“Few spiritual leaders are as gifted as Chaplain Black in providing caring, courageous ministry in a pluralistic religious environment,” said Mark Rienzi, president of Becket. “For almost two decades, our nation has benefited from his chaplaincy and this year we humbly thank him for his work to safeguard religious liberty.”

The Canterbury Medal draws its name from one of history’s most dramatic religious liberty stand-offs, which occurred between Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas à Becket, the law firm’s namesake, and King Henry II of England. The annual Canterbury Gala honors the award recipient in a black-tie event at the Pierre Hotel in New York and is attended by the world’s most distinguished religious leaders and religious liberty advocates.

Past medalists include the late Nobel Peace Laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel; Cuban poet and former political prisoner Armando Valladares; Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, Carl Anderson, New York Times bestselling author and radio host Eric Metaxas; Learned Hand Law Professor Mary Ann Glendon of Harvard; Orthodox rabbi of the oldest Jewish congregation in the U.S., Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik; and First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Dallin H. Oaks.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Ryan Colby at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7219. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

WASHINGTON – The Department of the Interior is considering a petition to end the criminalization of eagle feather possession for Native American religious exercise. The petition—published last week—follows a 2014 court victory and is part of a settlement agreement in which the government promised to consider stronger legal protections for Native Americans like Pastor Robert Soto of the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas, who fought in court for nearly 10 years to defend his religious rights (watch video here).

Although current regulations allow permits for power companies, airports, and construction projects to kill thousands of eagles every year, many Native Americans are criminally banned from possessing even a single feather for religious worship. The proposed regulations, if enacted, will ensure stronger, lasting protections so that Native Americans like Pastor Soto can use feathers for worship, and it will not change the existing ban on harming eagles or commercializing their feathers.

“After fighting in court for almost a decade to defend our centuries-old religious practices, I am thankful that Native Americans are one step closer to freely worshipping with eagle feathers,” said Pastor Robert Soto, spiritual leader of the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas. “It is time for the government to recognize that feathers are a gift of the Creator, not the government, and Native Americans deserve lasting legal protections that can’t be revoked at the government’s whim.”

In 2006, an undercover agent from the Department of the Interior infiltrated a powwow, a sacred Native American religious ceremony involving drumming, dancing, and eagle feathers. The agent interrogated Pastor Soto, confiscated his eagle feathers, and threatened him with fines and prison time. Pastor Soto fought back in court and in 2014 won a major victory in which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit said the federal government could not justify its restriction on the religious use of eagle feathers. With Becket’s help, Pastor Soto negotiated a historic settlement agreement allowing for the return of his feathers and the right to use feathers in his religious worship. Pastor Soto is now asking the federal government to extend the same treatment to all Native Americans.

The government is seeking public comment on the petition until July 1. More information can be found at www.endthefeatherban.org.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Ryan Colby at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7219. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sharonell Fulton and other foster parents will continue fighting to provide stable, loving homes for Philadelphia foster children after a court ruled against them and the religious foster care agency they work with today. In Sharonell Fulton, et al. v. City of Philadelphia, a federal court of appeals sided with a new, discriminatory city policy that forbids the Catholic Social Services from doing what it has done for almost a century: uniting foster children with loving families.

Catholic Social Services is one of Philadelphia’s best agencies and has partnered with the city for over 50 years. Yet in March 2018 the city suddenly threatened to shut down the agency because it disagreed with the agency’s longstanding religious beliefs about marriage—even though not one LGBTQ couple has ever approached Catholic seeking certification and the agency never prevented a child from finding a home. Represented by Becket, Sharonell Fulton, a single mother who has fostered more than 40 children in 26 years, joined other foster parents licensed through Catholic Social Services to file a lawsuit against the city.

“As a single mom and woman of color, I’ve known a thing or two about discrimination over the years,” said Sharonell Fulton, a foster parent represented by Becket (Read her op-ed here). “But I have never known vindictive religious discrimination like this, and I feel the fresh sting of bias watching my faith publicly derided by Philadelphia’s politicians.” Today’s court ruling lets Philadelphia continue that religious discrimination.

There are 6,000 foster children in the City of Philadelphia. The need to find those children homes is so dire that earlier this year the city put out an urgent call for 300 new families to become foster parents. But shortly after this call for help, the city inexplicably prohibited Catholic Social Services from placing any more children with the families it has certified—solely because of the agency’s religious beliefs. There are dozens of families licensed to foster through Catholic Social Services who are willing to take in children, but because of the city’s actions, their beds have remained empty for close to a year.

“This ruling is devastating to the hundreds of foster children who have been waiting for a family and to the dozens of parents working with Catholic Social Services who have been waiting to foster a child,” said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket. “We’re disappointed that the court decided to let the city place politics above the needs of kids and the rights of parents, but we will continue this fight.”

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Ryan Colby at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7219. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

WASHINGTON – Melissa Buck, mother of five children with special needs, along with one of the area’s most successful adoption agencies are back in court today to fight the Attorney General of Michigan’s attempt to shut down the faith-based agency that brought their families together. In this new case, Buck v. Gordon, the foster families are now suing Michigan and federal Health & Human Services to allow faith-based adoption agencies to continue what they do best: uniting children with loving families. 

When the ACLU sued the State of Michigan in 2017 to stop working with faith-based foster and adoption agencies, Becket defended several foster children, families and St. Vincent Catholic Charities to maintain this vital partnership. However, last month the Attorney General of Michigan and the ACLU signed a settlement agreement to try to stop the state from working with faith-based adoption agencies like St. Vincent simply because of their religious beliefs. Today, Becket filed a new lawsuit defending St. Vincent and foster families in federal court.  

The following statement can be attributed to Melissa Buck, a mother of five children with special needs adopted through St. Vincent: 

“My five children have a home and a future today thanks to St. Vincent, and my husband and I still rely on St. Vincent’s vital support in every step of our journey together as a family. We are hopeful that the courts will step in, do the right thing and allow faith-based agencies to continue to help vulnerable families like mine.” 

The following statement can be attributed to Mark Rienzi, president at Becket, which represents St. Vincent Catholic Charities and Melissa Buck and her family in this case: 

“Faith-based agencies like St. Vincent consistently do the best work because of their faith, and we need more agencies like them helping children—not fewer. The actions by the Attorney General of Michigan do nothing but harm the thousands of at-risk children in desperate need of loving homes.” 

Becket attorneys will hold a press call at 3:30 p.m. EST today at 646-876-9923 (pin: 930-944-5568) to discuss the new case. Email questions in advance to: media@becketlaw.org. 

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Ryan Colby at  media@becketlaw.org  or 202-349-7219.  Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. 

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States  Supreme Court.  For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including  Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians  (read more here). 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Moments ago, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an attempt by abortion groups to pry into Texas Catholic bishops’ private discussions about religious doctrine. In Whole Woman’s Health v. Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops, several abortion advocates targeted and subpoenaed Texas’ Catholic bishops to demand their internal deliberations regarding abortion. Last year, a three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans rejected the surveillance attempt as intimidation and an invasion of the church’s right to privacy. Today’s Supreme Court ruling finally puts an end to the abortion group’s intrusion efforts.

In 2016, Whole Woman’s Health, a Texas-based abortion facility chain, sued over a state law that would require hospitals and abortion facilities to dispose of aborted human remains by burial or cremation, rather than in a landfill or the sewer, as is currently allowed. Because of the Catholic Church’s pro-life stance, the Texas Catholic Church’s leadership––the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops––acted according to its faith and offered to provide burials to all unborn children who were aborted. Although the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops was not part of that lawsuit, last year the abortion groups retaliated against the bishops by subpoenaing decades of internal religious deliberations among the bishops regarding abortion.

“Thank goodness the Supreme Court saw this appeal for what it was: a nasty attempt to intimidate the bishops and force them to withdraw their offer to bury every child aborted in Texas,” said Eric Rassbach, vice president and senior counsel at Becket. “Abortion groups may think the bishops ‘troublesome,’ but it is wrong to weaponize the law to stop the bishops from standing up for their beliefs.”

Last June, a trial judge ordered the bishops to hand over their internal communications about abortion to Whole Woman’s Health—even though they had already provided 4,000 pages of external communications. The bishops appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which granted them permanent protection from the order. The court ruled that the bishops’ claims “go to the heart of the constitutional protection of religious belief and practice as well as citizens’ right to advocate sensitive policies in the public square.” Whole Woman’s Health asked the full Fifth Circuit to rehear the case. The full court rejected their request. They then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which today also rejected the group’s bid.

The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops is also represented by Steven Levatino and Andrew McRae of Levatino | Pace PLLC in Austin, Texas.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As guests of the White House, Melissa and Chad Buck, who are parents to five adopted children with special needs, were recognized this morning by the President at the 67^th annual National Prayer Breakfast. During his remarks, President Trump brought attention to the national foster care crisis. He also thanked the Buck family “for inspiring us all,” and stated, “My administration is working to ensure that faith-based adoption agencies are able to help vulnerable children find their forever families while following their deeply held beliefs.”

Melissa and Chad Buck adopted five children with special needs through St. Vincent Catholic Charities, a faith-based adoption agency that partners with the State of Michigan. St. Vincent is motivated by its faith to serve families and is very successful at finding homes for sibling groups, older children, and children with special needs. However, the ACLU is suing the state of Michigan trying to end this important partnership – and families like the Bucks are fighting back.

“I came to Washington today because I want to ensure that the needs of vulnerable children are put first,” said Melissa Buck (read her op-ed here). “My children suffered abuse, hunger, and neglect, but today they have a family and are thriving thanks to St. Vincent supporting us every step of our journey. If we want other children to have a chance for a home and a future, we need more agencies like St. Vincent – not fewer.”

Currently there are thousands of children in Michigan foster care, and each year, hundreds of children “age out” of the foster system, meaning that at the age of 18 they are on their own, never having found a family or a home. With so many children in need, and not enough families willing to take them in, the state relies on religious adoption agencies like St. Vincent Catholic Charities. In 2017, St. Vincent recruited more new adoptive families than nearly 90 percent of the other agencies in its service area.

But the ACLU’s lawsuit is threatening to close their doors because it disagrees with St. Vincent’s religious beliefs about marriage. That’s despite the fact that St. Vincent’s beliefs have never prevented a child from being placed in a loving home. LGBT couples working with other agencies have been able to adopt children in St. Vincent’s care in the past. But even with other adoption agencies much closer by, the ACLU plaintiffs nevertheless went miles out of their way to target St. Vincent.

“The Buck family is just one of the many success stories made possible through religious adoption agencies like St. Vincent,” said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket. “Children need an ‘all hands on deck’ approach. They need families, homes, an education, medical support, and a dedicated staff in order to have a future. They need religious adoption agencies to keep doing their important work.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A Christian student group won equal treatment and a permanent place on campus today when, moments ago, a federal court ruled that the University of Iowa illegally targeted religious groups for requiring their leaders to believe in and follow their faith. In BLinC v. University of Iowa, the university kicked Business Leaders in Christ (BLinC) off campus because the group requires its student leaders to affirm and live by its religious beliefs. After the university admitted that it knowingly targeted and deregistered BLinC and other religious groups, the court today ruled that the university must end its unequal treatment of religious student organizations.

Before a hearing last Friday, the university revealed a watch list of 32 groups–all religious–that it had placed on probation simply for requiring its leaders to follow their beliefs. Yet the university permits fraternities to remain single-sex and allows other groups to limit their leaders (and even members) to students who share their mission. The court’s ruling states, “The Constitution does not tolerate the way [the University] chose to enforce the Human Rights Policy. Particularly when free speech is involved, the uneven application of any policy risks the most exacting standard of judicial scrutiny, which [the University] ha[s] failed to withstand.”

“We are grateful the court protected our rights today—to let us have the same right as all student groups to express our viewpoints freely on campus, and to be who we are,” said BLinC’s Jake Estell. “This victory reinforces the commonsense idea that universities can’t target religious student groups for being religious.”

Membership in BLinC is open to all university students. To preserve its religious mission, BLinC asks its leaders to affirm that they believe in and live according to its religious beliefs. But after a complaint was filed with the university about BLinC’s leadership requirements and its religious views on marriage, university officials told BLinC that it must “revise” its Statement of Faith and submit an “acceptable plan” for selecting its leaders. When BLinC informed the university that it could not change its faith or stop asking its leaders to share its faith, it was kicked off campus. The university then deregistered 10 other religious groups, including Chinese Student Christian Fellowship, the Imam Mahdi Muslim organization, the Latter-day Saint Student Association, and the Sikh Awareness Club, for the same reason.

“The university wanted a license to discriminate, and Judge Rose said no way,” said Eric Baxter, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, which represents BLinC. “This ruling is a win for basic fairness, but it is also an eloquent plea for civility in how governments treat Americans in all their diversity. As a governmental body bound by the First Amendment, the university should have never tried to get into the game of playing favorites in the first place, and it is high time for it to stop now.”

A parallel lawsuit by another Christian group kicked off the University of Iowa campus, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship v. University of Iowa, is still pending before Judge Rose and will likely be decided later this year.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Ryan Colby at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7219. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The University of Iowa admitted in court Friday it has a watch list of 32 groups – all religious – that it  has placed on a “probationary status.” The list just came to light in BLinC v. University of Iowa, where the university kicked Business Leaders in Christ (BLinC) off campus for requiring its leaders to affirm and follow its faith. The disclosure was made in response to the court’s demand that the university identify all groups it had deregistered late last year and the reasons why.

The university’s list of the 579 registered student groups on campus highlights only the names of Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Christian and other religious student clubs, placing them on probationary status. Yet while these religious groups were targeted, the university admitted that it still grants full registered status to dozens of secular groups, which explicitly restrict or control access to leadership or membership based on race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and U.S. military service. The watch list is the latest evidence confirming that the university has been singling out religious groups and discriminating against them.

“For a public institution to single out religious student groups and threaten their expulsion is textbook Big Brother,” said Eric Baxter, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, which represents BLinC. “The university’s blatant double-standard and its desire to target and track religious groups in the name of ‘nondiscrimination,’ while ignoring dozens of other bigger groups who engage in more so-called ‘discrimination,’ is doublethink that would make the Ministry of Truth blush.”

The university claims that religious groups cannot even “encourage” their leaders to uphold a group’s specific faith, saying it would violate the university’s policy against religious discrimination. Yet the university allows other student groups to select leaders and members who align with each group’s mission, including fraternities, sports clubs, musical groups, advocacy organizations, political groups, and minority support groups—only flagging religious groups for monitoring. Thus, for example, the university is allowing the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, Chinese Dance Club, Chinese in Iowa City group, and Chinese Music Club to remain on campus, while the Chinese Student Christian Fellowship is threatened to be kicked off campus.

“For an institution handing out Ph.D.’s, the university displays an embarrassing ignorance of our nation’s first liberty,” said Baxter. “The First Amendment prohibits the university from telling religious groups who can be their leaders, especially while allowing every other group on campus free reign to pick their leaders—and in many instances their members too.”

Oral argument in the case was heard in federal district court in Des Moines, Iowa on February 1, 2019. A decision is expected in the spring.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here).

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  A Christian student group argued in federal court Friday afternoon to defend its right to remain on campus at the University of Iowa and choose student leaders who embrace its religious mission. In BLinC v. University of Iowa, the university kicked Business Leaders in Christ (BLinC) off campus because the group requires its student leaders to live by and affirm its religious beliefs. The court will decide if the university can continue its unequal treatment of religious student organizations, especially after the university admitted that it knowingly targeted and deregistered BLinC and other religious groups. 

In 2017, university officials targeted and kicked BLinC off campus because it asks its leaders to embrace its faith. Not long later, the university deregistered 10 other religious groups, including Chinese Student Christian Fellowship, the Imam Mahdi Muslim organization, the Latter-day Saint Student Association, and the Sikh Awareness Club, for the same reason. Now a total of 32 religious groups are on probation. Meanwhile, the university permits the largest groups on campus, fraternities and sororities—which comprise almost 20 percent of the student body—to remain single-sex, as well as sports clubs, feminist groups, and advocacy groups to limit their leaders and even members to students who share their mission.  

“Instead of fostering a free exchange of diverse ideas, the university’s policy is to discriminate against beliefs it doesn’t like,” said BLinC’s Jake Estell. “We asked the Court for equal treatment—to let us have the same right as all student groups to express our viewpoints freely on campus, and to be who we are.”  

Membership in BLinC is open to all university students. To preserve its religious mission, BLinC asks its leaders to affirm that they believe in and live according to its religious beliefs. But after a complaint was filed with the university about BLinC’s leadership requirements and its religious views on marriage, university officials told BLinC that it must “revise” its Statement of Faith and submit an “acceptable plan” for selecting its leaders. When BLinC informed the university that it could not change its faith or stop asking its leaders to share its faith, it was kicked off campus. 

“The university has admitted that it treats religious groups as second-class citizens,” said Eric Baxter, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, which is representing BLinC in its lawsuit. “It’s time for the university to put an end to this religious discrimination and allow Christian groups to be Christian, just as it allows pro-choice groups to be pro-choice and fraternities to be fraternities.”  

Becket Vice President and Senior Counsel Eric Baxter argued the case telephonically Friday afternoon before a federal court in Des Moines. A decision is expected this spring.  

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. 

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here).  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – It’s feeling extra frosty in one New Hampshire town this year after a local town administrator banned a menorah from the town’s holiday display. Durham town leaders denied the local Chabad’s request to display a menorah next to the town Christmas tree because it wasn’t “secular” or “inclusive” enough for the annual “holiday” tree lighting in a local park. This blatant bah-humbugging has earned the Durham town administration the 2018 Ebenezer Award, Becket’s lowest (dis)honor, awarded for the most ridiculous affront to the Christmas and Hanukkah season.  

Rabbi Berel Slavaticki of the University of New Hampshire & Seacoast Chabad Jewish Center applied for a permit to display a menorah in the town’s Memorial Park for Hanukkah. But the Commission rejected the application claiming that the menorah was “too religious.” Local residents armed with common sense disagreed at a town council meeting last week, saying the Christmas tree—also a religious symbol—and the menorah belonged in the park.  

“In the name of inclusivity the town administration excluded an entire religious minority from participating in the town holiday celebrations—talk about missing the mark,” said Montse Alvarado, VP & executive director of Becket, “It makes no sense to celebrate the holiday season by editing out the true meaning of Christmas and relegating Hanukkah to the broom closet. Do you throw a party and blacklist the guests of honor?”  

Each year Becket reflects on the most absurd affronts to the Christmas and Hanukkah season and bestows upon the most outrageous offender a lump of coal. Previous Ebenezer Award winners include the American Humanist Association, which tried to stop schools from sending care packages to children in need, the Department of Veteran Affairs, which banned employees at its Salem, Virginia facility from saying “Merry Christmas” to veterans, and the University of Minnesota, 1qA“which last year banned from campus the colors red and green, blue and silver, Santas, bows, dreidels and even wrapped presents. (See list of previous winners). 

This year’s Ebenezer Award runner up is the city of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, for demanding a local church take down a nativity display after granting permission just days earlier. And this year’s Eggnog Toast, given to an individual or group who had a Grinch-like change of heart, goes to the Omaha Manchester Elementary School in Nebraska for suspending its principal after she prohibited classrooms from having Christmas trees, Christmas carols, Santa and even candy canes, concerned that the shape might make students think of the letter J for “Jesus.”

“Religious holidays are an important part of human culture and the government is allowed to recognize and celebrate those holidays with the appropriate symbols,” said Alvarado. “The Supreme Court has long protected holiday displays that remind us of our country’s pluralism and religious liberty during the holiday season.”  

Becket wishes everyone a Merry Christmas, a (retroactive) Happy Hanukkah, and a Joyous New Year to all!  

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. For over 20 years, it has defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more). 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After the University of Iowa admitted in court that it discriminates against religious student groups, the InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship asked a federal court yesterday to permanently require equal treatment for all organizations. The case, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship v. University of Iowa, arose after more than a dozen student religious groups were purged by the University last summer for asking their leaders to affirm their respective faiths. The Sikh Awareness Club, Chinese Student Christian Fellowship, Imam Mahdi organization, and Latter-day Saint Student Association were among the other faith groups kicked off campus. All religious groups were temporarily reinstated after InterVarsity filed suit, but the university continues to resist a permanent fix and insist that it can treat religious groups different from other groups.

Last summer’s purge came after the university took the hard-line stance that a religious group is guilty of religious discrimination when it asks its leaders to affirm the group’s religious beliefs or even “encourages” them to do so. But recently, the university admitted in court that it:

• Gives “many exceptions” from its non-discrimination rules for “various clubs, sports teams, and even scholarship programs”;
• Allows many groups to engage in “apparent violations” of its rules, such as by discriminating on such bases as sex, race, and nationality, if they “provide safe spaces for minorities” or support the university’s unspecified “educational and social purposes”;
• Permits the largest groups on campus—fraternities and sororities, which constitute almost 20 percent of the student body—to remain single-sex, as well as sports clubs, acapella groups, and various other university programs;
• “[F]reely admits” that its treatment of student groups “is inconsistent.”

“In the name of non-discrimination, the University of Iowa discriminated against more than a dozen diverse religious groups–including Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs,” said Daniel Blomberg, senior counsel at Becket, which represents InterVarsity. “That’s Orwellian. Real diversity requires real differences. The university has – quite rightly – long respected the differences inherent in Greek groups, sports clubs, and ideological groups. The First Amendment requires the university to do the same for religious groups.”

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship has been on the university of Iowa campus for over 25 years, hosting Bible studies, worship services, and discussions on important religious and social issues. It is one of the largest contributors to the annual C.R.O.P. walk to combat global poverty. The group welcomes all students to join as members and only requires its leaders follow its Christian faith. In 25 years, no student has ever complained about its leadership selection standards. There are over 500 student groups at the university, including numerous religious, cultural, political, and ideological groups that have long been allowed to choose leaders who share their mission.

“InterVarsity seeks to serve the University of Iowa, its students and faculty, and the local community,” said Greg Jao, Director of External Relations at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA. “We invite the university to embrace a common sense understanding of its non-discrimination policy. The policy should protect, rather than penalize, religious groups that seek to retain their religious identity on campus.”

At Becket’s request, the university agreed to allow InterVarsity and all other deregistered religious groups to temporarily remain on campus during the pendency of existing litigation. A final decision could come before March 2019.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Foster families were in the court today fighting the City of Philadelphia’s decision to discriminate against a religious foster care agency and prevent at-risk kids from being placed with a loving foster family. In Sharonell Fulton, et al. v. City of Philadelphia, the City of Philadelphia barred one of the city’s top foster care agencies, Catholic Social Services, from placing children with dozens of certified foster families solely because of the agency’s religious beliefs about marriage. The hearing took place at the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, which must decide whether the city can continue to discriminate against Catholic Social Services and the children and families it serves (watch recap of arguments live on Twitter).

Catholic Social Services has worked with the city to place children with foster families for more than five decades and has provided this ministry to Philadelphians since the early 1900s, long before the city got involved. And to this day, neither the city nor the ACLU has pointed to anyone that has been prevented or even discouraged from fostering by Catholic Social Services. Yet earlier this year the city barred Catholic Social Services from placing children with foster parents like Sharonell Fulton–who has served as a loving foster mother for 25 years. 

“With every passing day, vulnerable kids wait for the chance to sleep in their own beds in a loving place they can call home,” said Sharonell Fulton, a single mother who has fostered over 40 children through the agency. “I worry for these kids, and the two children with special needs in my care, whose futures are threatened because of the city’s decision to discriminate.” 

There are 6,000 foster children in need of a family in the City of Philadelphia. The need to find those children homes is so dire that earlier this year the city put out an urgent call for 300 new families to join the foster care network. But shortly after this call for help, the city inexplicably prohibited Catholic Social Services from placing more children with families—solely because of the agency’s religious beliefs. There are currently dozens of families licensed to foster through Catholic Social Services who are willing to take in children, but because of the city’s actions, those homes remain empty. 

“The wait to find a foster family is long enough for a vulnerable child, yet the City of Philadelphia has decided to keep at-risk children out of loving homes,” said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket, which represents Catholic Social Services and three foster families. “The court should put an end to the city’s religious discrimination and allow Catholic Social Services to continue doing what it does best: giving children loving families.” 

Becket is representing foster children, families, and Catholic Social Services in federal court. A decision can be expected by early next year. 

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. 

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here). 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church, a historic congregation in one of Pittsburgh’s poorest communities, is free to choose its own religious leaders without fear of government interference. In Lee v. Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church, a federal appellate court today ruled for the small African-American congregation, stating that the First Amendment prevents courts from deciding questions of spiritual leadership. The decision was 3-0 in favor of the church. 

The church was facing a $2.6 million lawsuit from its former pastor, Rev. David Lee, whom the church dismissed after attendance plummeted and church expenses doubled under his leadership. A federal trial court previously ruled against Rev. Lee, but he appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia, which today ruled to protect the congregation’s right to choose its leaders. The Third Circuit’s ruling bolsters the right of all houses of worship to select their leaders—a right called the “ministerial exception”—stating that “While the amount of church contributions and members is a matter of arithmetic, assessing Lee’s role … requires a determination of what constitutes adequate spiritual leadership.” That raises “questions that would impermissibly entangle the court in religious governance and doctrine prohibited by the Establishment Clause.” 

“The government has no right to entangle itself in choosing a church’s ministers,” said Daniel Blomberg, senior counsel at Becket, which represents Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church. “As the Supreme Court unanimously ruled six years ago, houses of worship have the right to choose who leads the flock.” 

The church chose Rev. Lee to be its pastor in 2012. Soon after, however, he demanded a 20-year contract from the church, telling the church that it could still fire him if it was unhappy with his religious leadership. By 2015, it was clear that church ministries had deteriorated: attendance and offerings had both dropped by nearly 40 percent, while church expenses had increased by 200 percent. The congregation, unhappy with Rev. Lee’s leadership, then voted to dismiss Rev. Lee from the pulpit. Rev. Lee sued Sixth Mount Zion for $2.6 million later that year.  

Founded in 1899, Sixth Mount Zion serves one of Pittsburgh’s poorest communities: one-third of the households in its neighborhood are headed by single moms, one quarter of the houses sit vacant, and one person is unemployed for every three that have a job. To support its community, the church hosts a number of ministries to the poor, including a monthly food-bank and a program to help provide affordable housing.   

Becket, which represents Sixth Mount Zion, also successfully defended the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York in the Fratello case and Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church at the U.S. Supreme Court in 2012. Today’s decision was the first Third Circuit case to apply Hosanna-Tabor, and the first appeal nationwide to apply Hosanna-Tabor to a contract claim.  

Amicus briefs in support of Sixth Mount Zion were filed by Professors Douglas Laycock, Michael McConnell, Thomas Berg, Carl Esbeck, Rick Garnett, and Robert Cochran, represented by Victoria Dorfman, Todd Geremia, Mark Kubisch, and Daniel Benson of Jones Day, and by the Church of God in Christ, mPact Churches, Plymouth Brethren, and Bishop William Stokes, represented by Andrew Kilberg, David Casazza, and Brian Lipshutz of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. 

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.  

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here).  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Former foster children, eight states, a Jewish advocacy group, a large  Congressional coalition and others urged an appeals court yesterday to reverse a district court ruling that will allow the City of Philadelphia to shut down Catholic Social Services, one of the City’s best foster agencies. The friend-of-the-court briefs filed in Sharonell Fulton, et al. v. City of Philadelphia argue that the ruling discriminates against the foster agency and the families it serves, violates the Constitution, is detrimental for religious minorities, and, above all, causes devastating harm to the City’s foster children in need of loving homes.

The City of Philadelphia’s harmful new policy enacted in March abruptly barred Catholic Social Services from placing dozens of children with foster parents like Sharonell Fulton, who has fostered over 40 kids in the last 25 years, and Cecelia Paul, who has fostered over 100 children. The City’s policy needlessly keeps at-risk children away from available homes solely because the City disagrees with the foster agency’s religious beliefs about marriage. After a district judge ruled against the agency in July, the families appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, which will consider the case this fall.

“I gotta keep fighting for all these other kids so that they can have the life I had. If you have a good foster home—one where a parent treats you like their child—you can make it. Without one, you can fall through the cracks. CSS needs to keep open. It saved my life,” said Jamie Hill, a former foster child, who thinks that “a foster home is the difference between life and death” for some kids. (Read the former foster children’s brief here).

The Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty also wrote to support Catholic and condemn Philadelphia’s actions, noting that “Jews have frequently faced the specter of government actors directing ‘proper’ understandings of their faith,” and emphasizing “the threat such overreach poses to Jews and all minority faiths.” (Read the Coalition’s brief here).

Eight states also filed a brief explaining why “promoting a diversity of child-placing agencies, religious and nonreligious, maximizes the placement opportunities for children.” The states further noted that “[r]eligious child-placing agencies add to this diversity, and states want to work with organizations motivated by a sense of duty and obligation to help children and those in need.” (Read the states’ brief here).

Forty-three members of Congress joined a brief to emphasize the importance of protecting religious social service providers and to highlight the long national history of religious social service providers helping children and families in need.  A group of non-profits who work with foster agencies and promote religious freedom also filed a brief highlighting the fact that hundreds of religious agencies nationwide serve children and families in need, and that their work could be endangered by Philadelphia’s unreasonable actions.

Catholic Social Services has served Philadelphia children for over 100 years and partnered with the City for the past 50 years to place children in loving homes. The agency also provides resources, training, and guidance for the foster families it supports. Catholic Social Services does this work because of its religious beliefs. Although Catholic Social Services has dozens of open homes available right now, City officials won’t allow any children to be placed in them because they think the agency’s religious beliefs—the same beliefs that inspire it to serve those in need—are outdated and need to change.

“Philadelphia’s actions have left foster parents and religious foster agencies nationwide wondering who’s next,” said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket, which is representing Catholic Social Services and three foster families. “We’re grateful for this outpouring of support by those who don’t want to see Catholic, or other successful foster care agencies, punished for following their faith.”

Becket is representing Catholic Social Services, Sharonell Fulton, Cecelia Paul, and Toni Simmons-Busch.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans late yesterday protected the right of religious groups to discuss important religious doctrine free from government interference. In Whole Woman’s Health v. Smith, an abortion group subpoenaed the Catholic church in Texas for access to internal communications regarding abortion. After a three-judge panel of the court protected the church in July, the abortion group demanded a full-court rehearing. The appeals court’s decision yesterday ensures that religious groups are free to discuss important matters of religious doctrine and ministry without fear that government or opposition groups will interfere.

In 2016 Whole Woman’s Health, an Austin, Texas-based abortion facility chain, sued the State of Texas over a state law that would require hospitals and abortion facilities to dispose of aborted human remains by burial or cremation, rather than in a landfill or the sewer, as is currently allowed. Because of the church’s pro-life stance, it offered support to bury or cremate all unborn remains—as an act of ministry. Although the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops is not part of that lawsuit, the abortion group subpoenaed all communications among the bishops regarding abortion.

“It turns out that suing the Good Samaritan was a bad idea,” said Eric Rassbach, vice president and senior counsel at Becket. “The Church should not have been dragged into this lawsuit solely because it offered free burials for babies. We’re glad the full Fifth Circuit recognized that.”

The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops is also represented by Steven Levatino and Andrew McRae of Levatino|Pace PLLC in Austin, Texas.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

Additional Information:                                                 

• Fifth Circuit denial of en banc review (August 16, 2018)
• Fifth Circuit decision (July 15, 2018)
• Case page for Whole Woman’s Health v. Smith (legal docs, background info, media coverage)

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here).

WASHINGTON, D.C. –One week after an InterVarsity Christian Fellowship student group filed a lawsuit against the University of Iowa, the University agreed to temporarily reinstate InterVarsity and all other religious groups that the University had recently deregistered. In InterVarsity Christian Fellowship v. University of Iowa, the Christian student group sued after it and almost 40 other student groups were purged by the University, including the Sikh Awareness Club, the Chinese Student Christian Fellowship, the Imam Mahdi Organization, and the Latter-day Saint Student Association. The agreement obtained by InterVarsity will temporarily reinstate all deregistered religious groups until the end of pending litigation with the University.

InterVarsity had been a part of campus life for decades, welcoming all students as members. But in June, the University abruptly ordered the group to drop its religious leadership standards within two weeks, insisting that the group could not even “strongly encourage” its leaders to embrace its faith. Many other groups faced the same demand. And in late July, the University officially derecognized InterVarsity and almost 40 other groups. But just one week after InterVarsity sued over the mass purge, and just hours after the group warned it would need to file a motion for a temporary restraining order in order to participate in important student organization activities, the University reversed course to allow all religious groups back on campus.

“This win is a win for everyone—Christians, Jews, Muslims, and Sikhs alike,” said Daniel Blomberg, senior counsel at Becket, which is handling the litigation against the University. “Everyone loses when state officials pick who leads students in prayer and worship, and everyone wins when religious students can make those decisions for themselves. Here’s hoping the courts make the University’s temporary patch into a permanent fix.”

InterVarsity is made up and led by a diverse community of multiethnic and international students, and it welcomes all to join as members. As a Christian student group, it hosts Bible studies and worship services, sponsors discussions on important issues, and participates in community service activities such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and the Johnson County C.R.O.P. Hunger Walk. Following the end of the school year, the University deemed InterVarsity’s religious leadership requirement “non-compliant” with new school policy, while giving a pass to the leadership and membership restrictions set by other non-religious student groups, such as sports clubs, fraternities, and political organizations.

“As we all prepare to head back to school, we’re excited to know InterVarsity will also be back on campus and part of the community we love,” said Katrina Schrock, student president of InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship. “These last few months have been crazy, but we’re grateful to be able to get back to focusing on meeting and serving the new graduate and professional students in our Hawkeye community.”

The University has only promised to allow religious groups to remain on campus during the pendency of existing litigation. A final decision could come as early as next spring.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, please contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

Additional Information:                                                   

• Media Kit (photos, b-roll. Credit: Becket)
• Complaint (August 6, 2018)
• Case Page for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship v. University of Iowa

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. For over 20 years, it has defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – An InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA student group at the University of Iowa is fighting for the right to ask its leaders to be Christians. In InterVarsity Christian Fellowship v. University of Iowa, a student group is suing the University after it was kicked off campus for requiring its leaders to agree with its faith. Almost 40 other student groups —including the Sikh Awareness Club, the Chinese Student Christian Fellowship, the Imam Mahdi Organization, and the Latter-day Saint Student Association—were also expelled by the University at the same time. Becket will file the lawsuit today on behalf of InterVarsity, seeking to get the group back on campus in time for the fall semester.

InterVarsity has been a part of campus life for 25 years, welcoming all students as members. But like the over-500 other student groups on campus, it has a distinct mission and asks its leaders to embrace that mission. In June, the University abruptly ordered the group to drop its religious leadership standards within two weeks, stating that leaders could not even be “strongly encouraged” to share its faith. And in late July, after InterVarsity explained why it couldn’t eliminate its leadership standards, the University officially deregistered the group, along with dozens of other religious and ideological student groups.

“We’re grateful to have been part of the University community for 25 years, and we think that the University has been a richer place for having Sikh, Muslim, Mormon, Catholic, Jewish, atheist, and Christian groups,” said Katrina Schrock, student president of InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship. “Because we love our school, we hope it reconsiders and lets religious groups continue to authentically reflect their religious roots.”

InterVarsity’s 25 years on campus include hosting Bible studies and worship services, sponsoring discussions on important issues, and participating in community service activities such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and the Johnson County C.R.O.P. Hunger Walk (where it’s been the top fund-raiser in six of the last seven years). The group is made up of a diverse collection of multiethnic and international students, and it welcomes all to join as members. While the University deemed InterVarsity’s religious leadership requirement “non-compliant” with its non-discrimination policy, it has exempted or ignored leadership and membership restrictions set by other student groups, such as sports clubs, fraternities, and political organizations. The University’s action against InterVarsity comes after another religious group’s lawsuit challenged the school’s discriminatory application of its policy.

“If public universities really want to foster an intellectually diverse environment, this isn’t how to do it,” said Daniel Blomberg, senior counsel at Becket, which is representing InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. “Universities should allow students the space to form their own groups that challenge and grow their sincere beliefs. Banning religious groups from having religious leaders just flattens diversity and impoverishes the campus.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rabbi Ruvi New, head of the Chabad of East Boca Raton, Florida, today discussed Gagliardi v. The City of Boca Raton, the lawsuit that was a part of his congregation’s 10-year battle to build a house of worship, at the U.S. Department of Justice event Religious Liberty: Our First Freedom and Why it Matters. The event highlighted diverse perspectives on religious liberty as experienced by Americans today, including opening remarks by Attorney General Jeff Sessions and addresses by Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of the Archdiocese of Louisville and Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma. (Watch footage here).

“America’s promise of religious liberty is deeply personal to me,” said Rabbi Ruvi New, head of the Chabad of East Boca Raton. “My mother fled religious persecution in communist Russia, and my father’s parents escaped Poland just before the Nazis took over. I love it that, in America, we don’t have to run. But we still have work to do to keep the promise alive.”

Rabbi New is the lead rabbi of Chabad of East Boca, an Orthodox Jewish synagogue in Florida that for over ten years faced hostile, well-financed opposition to its plans to build a new house of worship, some of which was driven by admitted anti-Semitism (watch this 4-minute video about the Chabad’s story). After the building was unanimously approved by the City in 2015, two landowners filed a lawsuit in federal court to prevent construction, bizarrely claiming that allowing a synagogue equal rights to build violated the Establishment Clause. They also claimed that building the two-story synagogue would cause “inevitable” floods and prevent emergency vehicles from accessing the area – even though the area is already surrounded by 22-story condos and several strip malls. Becket represented the Chabad in court, defeating the lawsuit twice in the district court and again on appeal earlier this year.

The Chabad has also suffered a string of attacks in recent years. It was vandalized twice: its glass mezuzahs containing sacred scripture were destroyed and stolen, and a glass synagogue door was smashed. And a teenage member of the synagogue was physically assaulted on a public sidewalk and told to “go back to Auschwitz.”

“Rabbi New’s journey to defend his religious freedom is a powerful reminder to all of us that protecting this right for one group ensures religious liberty for people of all faiths,” said Montse Alvarado, executive director of Becket, the religious liberty law firm that represented the Chabad. “I was pleased to see the work of Becket’s courageous clients celebrated at this event—clients in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida, and California who are working to live by their deeply held convictions, tackle difficult issues, and find common sense solutions. Feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and helping kids find forever homes should not come at the expense of your religious beliefs.”

While the overwhelming majority of the community supports the Chabad’s right to build, the Chabad still faces opposition to its efforts to build a permanent home.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Several foster families and a foster agency late yesterday appealed a Philadelphia district court ruling that allows a harmful new City policy to target religious foster care agencies and keep at-risk foster children from loving homes. The appeal in Sharonell Fulton, et al. v. City of Philadelphia argues that the City violated both Pennsylvania law and the Constitution in its efforts to shut down a religious foster care agency.

In March, the City put out a call for 300 more homes willing to foster some of the 6,000 children currently in the City’s foster system. Yet shortly after, the City abruptly barred Catholic Social Services, one of the City’s best foster agencies, from placing numerous children with foster parents like Sharonell Fulton, who has fostered over 40 kids in the last 25 years, and Cecelia Paul, who has fostered over 100 children. The City’s policy prohibits Catholic Social Services from placing at-risk children in available homes solely because the City disagrees with the foster agency’s religious beliefs about marriage.

“Catholic Social Services has meant so much to me and to the children I’ve loved and cared for,” said Sharonell Fulton, a single mother who has fostered over 40 children through the agency. “I don’t understand why the city is threatening to shut down the agency that has given hope and a family to so many children.” (Read her Op-ed online.)

A hearing last month revealed that the City’s policy is directly motivated by religious hostility, and that high-ranking City officials have criticized Catholic Social Services’ religious beliefs. This discriminatory policy has caused devastating problems for at-risk children. Although Catholic Social Services has dozens of open homes available right now, City officials won’t allow any children to be placed in them because they think the agency’s religious beliefs, which drive its mission to help children, are outdated and need to change.

Catholic Social Services has served Philadelphia for over 100 years, and partnered with the City for the past 50 years, to place children in loving homes. The agency also provides resources, training, and guidance for the foster families it works with. Catholic Social Services does this work because of its religious beliefs.

“Foster children deserve loving homes, and foster parents like Ms. Paul have been waiting with open arms to welcome them,” said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket, which is representing Catholic Social Services and three foster families. “But the trial court allowed the City to continue its harmful policy – a decision we expect to change with this appeal.”

Becket is representing Catholic Social Services, Sharonell Fulton, Cecelia Paul, and Toni Simmons-Busch.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Michigan Governor Richard Snyder and Attorney General Bill Schuette have sided with the student group InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in its fight to continue serving its campus community, stating that Michigan universities must respect the rights of religious student groups to choose their own leaders. The announcement comes as a blow to Detroit-based Wayne State University in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship v. Wayne State University, where the University claims InterVarsity cannot choose leaders who agree with its faith, even though the University lets more than 90 other student groups choose their leaders.  

In March, after being kicked out by Wayne State, InterVarsity sued the University as well as the Michigan Attorney General and Governor to defend its right to remain a part of the campus community it has served for over 75 years. Since the Attorney General and Governor have now acknowledged that state universities may not punish religious student groups for selecting religious leaders, InterVarsity late yesterday dropped its lawsuit against them.  

“This is a great day for religious freedom and free speech in Michigan,” said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket, which represents the student group. “Governor Snyder and Attorney General Schuette have recognized that state universities can’t discriminate against religious student groups. We hope Wayne State will take notice.”  

InterVarsity welcomes all students to join as members and only requires that its leaders agree with its faith. But in late 2017, Wayne State kicked the group off campus, canceled the group’s reserved meetings, and forced it to pay thousands to continue holding Bible studies on campus—all because it disagreed with InterVarsity’s leadership requirement. After the student group filed a lawsuit, represented by Becket, the University let the group back on campus. But the University is now asking the court for the power to keep its old, discriminatory policy. The court is set to decide soon whether Wayne State violated InterVarsity’s rights.  

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Shamber Flore, a former foster child, and several foster families were in Michigan court today to fight back against the ACLU’s efforts to shut down the adoption programs that brought their families together (watch Twitter Live statement here). In Dumont v. Lyon, the ACLU is suing the State of Michigan to end its partnerships with religious adoption agencies, threatening the futures of thousands of foster children who desperately need homes. Today’s hearing will decide whether religious adoption agencies can continue doing what they do best: uniting children with loving families. 

Each year 600 youth age out of Michigan’s foster care system, and are more likely to end up in poverty, without an education, and back on the streets. With nearly 13,000 children in Michigan foster care, and not enough families to take them in, the State relies on private agencies like St. Vincent Catholic Charities, which last year successfully recruited more new adoptive families than nearly 90 percent of the other agencies in its service area. St. Vincent is also particularly good at placing sibling groups, older children, and children with special needs (watch video here). 

“St. Vincent rescues children from the most vulnerable, most disadvantaged backgrounds like mine and gives them a chance to be part of a loving family and have a normal, healthy, happy childhood,” said Shamber Flore, a former foster child who found her adoptive family through St. Vincent. “We can’t let the ACLU take that away.” 

Last year the ACLU sued the State of Michigan to forbid the state from partnering with faith-based adoption agencies like St. Vincent solely because of their religious beliefs about marriage, even though St. Vincent cares for children regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity, and its beliefs have never prevented a child from being placed in a loving home. In fact, gay couples working with other agencies have been able to adopt children in St. Vincent’s care in the past and the ACLU’s clients live closer to four other foster and adoption agencies that would have helped them adopt. Yet instead of going to one of those agencies they have gone out of their way to try and shut down St. Vincent.  

“ACLU is trying to punish St. Vincent because of its beliefs but the only casualties from its needless lawsuit are the kids,” said Stephanie Barclay, counsel at Becket, which represents the foster families and St. Vincent Catholic Charities. “Shutting down one of the most effective adoption agencies in the city helps no one and instead hurts thousands of vulnerable children.”  

“We couldn’t have adopted without the support of St. Vincent,” said Melissa Buck, a mother of five children with special needs adopted through St. Vincent. “And we continue to rely on vital support services St. Vincent provides to this day. If these programs were shut down, it would be devastating for our family.”  

Becket is defending St. Vincent Catholic Charities, Shamber Flore and Melissa and Chad Buck in this case against the ACLU’s lawsuit. A new website highlights the foster care crisis in Michigan and the harm the ACLU’s lawsuit will cause for thousands of children. A decision is expected by the end of August.  

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, please contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Moments ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 protecting a pregnancy center’s right to serve women and children according to their religious mission. In National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) v. Becerra, the pregnancy centers pushed back against a 2015 California law that targeted pro-life clinics, forcing them to advertise messaging regarding abortion and contraceptive services that undermined their mission.

The following statement can be attributed to Mark Rienzi, president of Becket, a non-profit religious liberty law firm that protects people of all faiths, which filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting NIFLA:

“The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that both sides of a debate matter, and the government cannot silence one side’s speech just because it may be unpopular. Crisis pregnancy centers like NIFLA serve women and children according to their religious mission, and California should respect that. This ruling proves that when it comes to important issues, the government doesn’t get to tell people what to believe, and it also doesn’t get to tell people what to say about it.”

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – For the second time in three months a Christian student group is fighting for its right to continue serving at the same campus it has been on for over 75 years.   

In InterVarsity Christian Fellowship v. Wayne State University, an InterVarsity Christian Fellowship student group is asking the court to protect its right to continue being a part of the campus community at Michigan-based Wayne State University. Wayne State claims the Christian group is breaking the rules by asking its leaders to share its faith, even though it lets more than 90 other student groups choose their own leaders. Now the University is asking a federal court to give it the power to kick the group off campus any time. 

“Wayne State allows 90 student groups to make their own rules for leaders—everyone from fraternities to the Quidditch Club,” said Lori Windham, Senior Counsel at Becket, which represents the student group. “But Wayne State can’t wave a magic wand and make the Constitution disappear. Christian student groups have the same rights as everyone else.”  

InterVarsity welcomes all students to join as members and only requires that its leaders agree with its faith. But in late 2017, Wayne State kicked the group off campus, canceled the group’s reserved meetings, and forced it to pay thousands to continue holding Bible studies on campus—all because it disagreed with InterVarsity’s leadership requirement. After the student group filed a lawsuit, represented by Becket, the University let the group back on campus. But the University is now asking the court for the power to kick the group off campus.  

The University’s actions ignore the rich history of InterVarsity’s student group at Wayne State, which is one of the oldest chapters in the country. The group has held weekly Bible studies and organized service opportunities on campus for over 75 years, including repairing buildings in downtown Detroit and serving at the local food pantry. The student group is asking the court to permanently protect its ability to be a part of and continue serving the Wayne State community.  

“Wayne State’s actions threaten not just InterVarsity but all the religious groups who depend on student leaders who share their faith,” said Windham.     

Becket filed two briefs seeking a permanent fix to the school’s discriminatory policy, which also highlights a list of more than 90 groups who are allowed to choose leaders who agree with them, while InterVarsity is not.   

 For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. 

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including  Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here). 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Moments, ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in Masterpiece Cake Shop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission for Jack Phillips, a Colorado-based Christian baker who had declined to create a cake for a same-sex wedding ceremony. The Justices ruled that the Free Exercise Clause of the Constitution protects Phillips from unfair treatment of his religious beliefs.

The following statement can be attributed to Mark Rienzi, president of Becket: 

“The Court has said 7-2 that the Constitution requires us all to try and get along. There is room enough in our society for a diversity of viewpoints, and that includes respecting religious beliefs too. The decision is a strong message to governments across the country that they must respect–rather than punish–religious diversity on important issues.”  

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here). 

NEW YORK – Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik, Orthodox rabbi and spiritual leader of the oldest Jewish congregation in the U.S., received the Canterbury Medal for his public defense of religious liberty last night at Becket’s Canterbury Medal Gala. The Canterbury Medal is Becket’s highest honor and recognizes an individual who has demonstrated courage and commitment to defending religious liberty for people of all faiths. Becket also honored law firm Baker Botts with the Legal Service Award for its pro bono work protecting religious liberty for Native Americans.  

“Today in America people of faith inspire each other, sustain each other, so that an alliance over religious freedom can form – without diminishing our religious differences – a fellowship,” said Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik, the 2018 Canterbury Medalist.  (Speech Transcript and Video)

A descendant of a long line of renowned Orthodox rabbis, Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik is the spiritual leader of Shearith Israel, the oldest Jewish congregation in the United States, founded in 1654. An advocate for the Jewish faith and religious freedom, Rabbi Soloveichik works tirelessly alongside religious leaders of diverse faiths to strengthen interfaith relations in America. He also holds a Ph.D. in religion from Princeton, serves as director of the Zahava and Moshael Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva University, lectures in a wide range of public forums, and has been published extensively including in The Wall Street Journal, The Forward, and the New York Times. 

This year’s Legal Service Award winner, Baker Botts, has donated hundreds of hours of attorney time to advocate for equal treatment of religious people in public life. Among other cases, Baker Botts represented members of the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas in a lawsuit against the federal government after an undercover agent raided the tribe’s powwow and confiscated their sacred eagle feathers. Baker Botts also represented the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in a brief supporting Becket’s case seeking equal access to FEMA funds for houses of worship following natural disasters. 

“As the leader of a prominent congregation, Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik has worked side-by-side with leaders of diverse faiths to preserve religious liberty for all. He has rightly earned this year’s Canterbury Medal. I am confident his work as a defender for religious liberty has just begun,” said Bill Mumma, CEO and Board Chairman of Becket. 

The Canterbury Medal draws its name from one of history’s most dramatic religious liberty standoffs, which occurred between Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas à Becket, the law firm’s namesake, and King Henry II of England. The annual Canterbury Medal Gala to honor the medalist is a black-tie event held at the Pierre Hotel in New York and is attended by the world’s most distinguished religious leaders and religious liberty advocates.  

Past medalists include the late Nobel Peace Laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, Cuban poet and former political prisoner Armando Valladares, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus Carl Anderson, New York Times bestselling author and radio host Eric Metaxas, Learned Hand Law Professor Mary Ann Glendon of Harvard, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Executive Vice President of the Federalist Society Leonard Leo. Roger Hertog, president of the Hertog Foundation and chairman of the Tikvah Fund, and Dr. Josephine Templeton, trustee of the John Templeton Foundation, served as co-chairs of this year’s Canterbury Medal Gala.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, please contact Melinda Skea at  media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Baker Botts L.L.P. will receive Becket’s 2018 Legal Service Award for outstanding contributions to religious liberty. For years, Baker Botts has donated hundreds of hours of attorney time to advocate for equal treatment of religious people in public life. Among other cases, Baker Botts has represented members of the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas in a lawsuit against the federal government after an undercover agent raided the tribe’s powwow and confiscated their sacred eagle feathers. Baker Botts also represented the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in a brief supporting Becket’s case seeking equal access to FEMA funds for houses of worship following natural disasters. Baker Botts will be presented with the award at Becket’s annual Canterbury Medal Gala this Thursday, May 24 in New York.

Baker Botts’ pro bono work was invaluable in a ten-year battle to restore sacred eagle feathers confiscated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after it raided a Lipan Apache powwow in 2006. In 2016 the federal government entered a historic settlement agreement with Pastor Soto and over 400 members of his congregation. The agreement recognizes the members’ right to freely use eagle feathers in observance of their Native American faith and promises that the government will reconsider its policies for enforcing feather restrictions in the future (watch video).  

“Baker Botts’ commitment to defending religious liberty for all has been exemplary,” said Mark Rienzi, president of Becket. “Its work on behalf of people of various faiths, including Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, and others, demonstrates a fundamental commitment to civil rights. Baker Botts richly deserves the Legal Service Award.” 

Baker Botts has had a long history of defending religious liberty, representing a wide variety of religious groups—Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Native American, and others—in litigation at the United States Supreme Court and other courts. Just months ago, Baker Botts represented the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in Becket’s successful effort to secure equal access to FEMA disaster relief funds for churches, synagogues, and other houses of worship (watch video).  

“We are honored to be recognized in this way,” said Michael Bennett, a partner at Baker Botts, and counsel in the eagle feathers and FEMA cases. “Baker Botts is proud of its pro bono efforts to support the fundamental right of religious freedom for all Americans.”

Each year Becket honors a legal partner with the Legal Service Award, which is presented as part of the Canterbury Medal Gala in New York. Prior recipients of Becket’s Legal Service Award include McDermott Will & Emery LLP for their work on behalf of Sikhs in the military, Proskauer Rose LLP for work protecting the Amish community, Locke Lord LLP for representing the Little Sisters of the Poor, and Paul Clement, now at Kirkland & Ellis, for his work in the Hobby Lobby litigation.

The Canterbury Medal Gala is a black-tie event held at the Pierre Hotel in New York attended by the world’s most distinguished religious leaders and religious liberty advocates. This year’s Canterbury Medal winner is Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik, renowned religious leader of the oldest Orthodox synagogue in America, esteemed scholar, and defender of religious liberty. 

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, please contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sharonell Fulton and other foster parents asked a Philadelphia court late yesterday to end a new City policy that is leaving foster homes sitting empty while the City is in a foster care crisis. In Sharonell Fulton, et al. v. City of Philadelphia, the City must answer for its decision to stop allowing Catholic Social Services to place children in foster homes, solely because the City disagrees with the agency’s religious beliefs – a decision the City is threatening to make permanent on June 30.

In March, the City of Philadelphia issued an urgent call for 300 new foster parents to provide loving homes for some of the over 6,000 kids in Philadelphia foster care. That same month, the City abruptly barred Catholic Social Services, one of the city’s top-rated foster agencies, from placing children with foster families. This decision makes it exponentially harder for hundreds of children in need of foster care to find homes. Foster homes are sitting empty, even as the city begs for more families to help in its foster care crisis.

“What justice is there in taking stable, loving homes away from children? If the City cuts off Catholic Social Services from foster care, foster moms like me won’t have the help and support they need to care for special-needs kids,” said Sharonell Fulton, a foster mother. “I have relied on Catholic Social Services for support for years, and the City is taking away this help and causing harm and heartache to countless families like mine.”

Sharonell has been a foster parent for over 25 years and has opened her home to over 40 children, including two children currently in her care. She strives to provide a loving, stable home and treat each child as if they were her own. To do that, Sharonell relies on Catholic Social Services’ help, including around-the-clock support and access to information and resources.

Catholic Social Services and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have been serving children throughout Philadelphia for over a century. Their Catholic mission drives them to find loving homes for all children in their care, regardless of the child’s race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. Catholic Social Services currently serves over 100 children in foster homes. No family or individual has ever complained that the agency’s Catholic mission prevented them from fostering or adopting a child.

“For a city with so much history, the people in charge have a pretty short memory,” said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket, which represents the families, children and Catholic Social Services. “For a century, Catholic Social Services has been serving children in Philadelphia. Those children are the ones hurt by the City’s actions.”

Sharonell Fulton, Cecelia Paul, Toni Simms-Busch, and Catholic Social Services are represented by Becket, and have asked the court to halt the City’s harmful policy. A hearing is expected later this year.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here). 

WASHINGTON, D.C. –A Florida Jewish congregation again defeated a discriminatory lawsuit attempting to block them from building a house of worship. Late yesterday, in Gagliardi v. The City of Boca Raton, Florida, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit protected the Chabad of East Boca Raton’s ability to build a new synagogue for the Chabad’s congregation (watch this video about the Chabad’s experience). The ruling rejects a bizarre lawsuit that tried to outlaw equal treatment of minority faiths in Boca Raton, Florida

Opposition to the Chabad’s right to build started in 2007 while the Chabad searched for land and worked to get building permits. Shortly after the city of Boca Raton granted the Chabad a building permit in 2015, two landowners sued the city, claiming that the city had somehow established Judaism as the city’s official religion. But the city was simply following a federal civil rights law that required equal access for all religious groups. After losing twice in federal district court, the landowners prolonged the battle against the Chabad by appealing to the Eleventh Circuit, which ruled that the lower court “properly dismissed the case.”

“We’re grateful that the courts and community have protected our congregation’s ability to be here in Boca Raton, just like every other house of worship,” said Rabbi Ruvi New, head of the Chabad of East Boca Raton. “After ten years of waiting, we are eager to have the chance to build our synagogue in the city we call home.”

For over ten years, the Chabad faced hostile, well-financed opposition that resulted in a federal lawsuit claiming that allowing the synagogue to be built would be a violation of the Constitution’s Establishment Clause. But the city was obeying the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, a federal law that requires equal access for all faith groups. The two landowners also oddly claimed that building the 2-story synagogue would cause traffic problems and flooding, though they had no concerns with nearby strip malls, 7-11s, and even 22-story condos. And even after the initial building plan that the landowners objected to was withdrawn, the landowners continued to press for a ruling that would absolutely bar the Chabad’s chance to build.

In response to the discriminatory lawsuit, local leaders, constitutional scholars, and national and international groups filed friend-of-the-court briefs in support of the Chabad. Professor Alan Dershowitz of Harvard Law School slammed the years of ‘virulent and ugly’ anti-Semitism suffered by the Chabad, which had included vandalism and an assault. The Eleventh Circuit agreed with the lower court’s dismissal of the lawsuit, and rejected the landowners’ aggressive attempt to prevent any chance for the Chabad to build in the future.

“The third time’s a charm,” said Daniel Blomberg, senior counsel at Becket, which represents the Chabad of East Boca Raton. “The courts have now repeatedly put the kibosh on this discriminatory lawsuit. It’s time for the handful of holdouts to join the rest of Boca Raton and welcome the Chabad like good neighbors.”

The Chabad of East Boca is represented by Becket and Kirkland & Ellis.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Becket proudly congratulates Kyle Duncan, Becket’s former general counsel, on his confirmation today by the United States Senate to serve as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Kyle’s colleagues and opposing counsel of all persuasions have praised his qualifications in knowledge, experience, and integrity, for appointment to the federal bench. The following statement can be attributed to Becket President Mark Rienzi: 

“That sound you just heard was the stained glass ceiling shattering. Not only has our country gained a great jurist, but Kyle’s confirmation is proof positive that defending religious liberty for people of all faiths is a core part of our country’s long tradition of public service.” 

Kyle served as Louisiana’s first solicitor general from 2008-2012, and then as general counsel of Becket from 2012-2014. Under his leadership, Becket won a number of decisive victories for religious liberty for people of all faiths, including the Hobby Lobby case.  

Other highlights of Becket’s work under Kyle’s leadership included securing kosher meals for Jewish prisoners, winning a Sikh woman her right to work for the federal government without violating her faith, and helping an Amish community preserve its centuries-old building practices. 

“At Becket, Kyle was a steadfast defender of religious liberty for people of all faiths and was known for his intelligence and evenhandedness. His generosity and respect for others has made him a great advocate, and will make him a fair and respected judge. We applaud his confirmation,” added Rienzi.  

 Kyle will be sworn in later this year. 

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.  

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here). 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik, Orthodox rabbi and spiritual leader of the oldest Jewish congregation in the U.S., is the 2018 Canterbury Medalist for his public defense of religious liberty for people of all faiths. The Canterbury Medal, Becket’s highest honor, recognizes an individual who has demonstrated courage and commitment to defending religious liberty in America and around the world. 

Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik works tirelessly to strengthen interfaith relations in America, advocating alongside religious leaders of diverse American faith communities to protect religious education and conscience protections, and to strengthen individual religious identities. He is a strong advocate of cultivating one’s own faith and being an active participant in the public square, emphasizing, “sacrificing the exclusive nature of religious truth in the name of dialogue would help neither Jews nor Christians,” adding that “in seeking the moral betterment of man, specific religious beliefs … serve to unite rather than divide us.”  

“Rabbi Soloveichik is dauntless in his defense of religious liberty and has the courage, tenacity and humility to forge the road ahead,” said Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. of Philadelphia and 2009 Canterbury Medalist.  

A descendant of a long line of renowned Orthodox rabbis, in 2013 Soloveichik was named the spiritual leader of Shearith Israel in New York City, the oldest Jewish congregation in the United States. He is the tenth minister to serve in that role since the American Revolution. He is also an esteemed scholar of religion, theology, and the American Founding, holding a Ph.D. from Princeton in religion, and serves as director of the Zahava and Moshael Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva University. He lectures globally and writes extensively, publishing in outlets from The Wall Street Journal, to The Forward, on the history of faith and religious freedom in America, has been featured in the New York Times, and is a sought-after commentator on the Jewish faith in America.  

“Rabbi Soloveichik is that rare leader who combines erudition, courage and moral clarity. The religious liberty fight benefits from these powerful gifts,” said Bill Mumma, CEO and board chair of Becket.    

The Canterbury Medal draws its name from one of history’s most dramatic religious liberty stand-offs, which occurred between Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas à Becket, the law firm’s namesake, and King Henry II of England. The annual Canterbury Gala, which honors the award recipient, is a black-tie event held at the Pierre Hotel in New York and is attended by the world’s most distinguished religious leaders and religious liberty advocates. 

Past medalists include the late Nobel Peace Laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, Cuban poet and former political prisoner Armando Valladares, Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, New York Times bestselling author and radio host Eric Metaxas, Learned Hand Law Professor Mary Ann Glendon of Harvard, and President Dallin H. Oaks of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Roger Hertog, president of the Hertog Foundation and chairman of the Tikvah Fund, and Dr. Josephine Templeton, Trustee of the John Templeton Foundation, will serve as co-chairs of the 2018 Canterbury Medal Gala.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, please contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. 

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. For over 20 years, it has defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more). 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Adopted children and foster families in Michigan can now join the fight against the ACLU’s efforts to shut down the adoption programs that brought their families together, a federal court just ruled. In Dumont v. Lyon, the ACLU is suing to stop the state of Michigan from relying on private adoption agencies like St. Vincent Catholic Charities because they run their programs based on their religious beliefs. If the ACLU succeeds, it would take away vital support that foster families need, and make it even harder for thousands of foster kids to find permanent homes (watch their story in this 3-min. video).  

The court allowed the “children and families to have a voice in these proceedings” to explain how they could be harmed if the ACLU wins its lawsuit. Families like the Bucks could “lose critical services that are currently provided to them by St. Vincent and may lose the ability to adopt biological siblings of their present adoptive children.” And former foster children like Shamber Flore may lose “the opportunity to volunteer at St. Vincent and do the important work of mentoring children in a faith-based setting who, like herself, come from broken and abusive backgrounds.”  

“The ACLU’s lawsuit would take away homes from vulnerable kids who have already gone through so much,” said Shamber Flore, a former foster child who found her adoptive family through St. Vincent. “I’m so grateful the court didn’t let the ACLU silence our voices, particularly since children are the ones who will lose the most.”   

There is a nationwide shortage of families willing to foster and adopt. In Michigan alone, there are thousands of kids in the foster care system, many of whom age out without finding a home. The government can’t recruit enough families to foster and adopt on its own so it relies on private agencies, like St. Vincent, to help find more willing families. Last year alone, St. Vincent recruited more new foster families than nearly 90 percent of other agencies in its service area.  

“St. Vincent brought my family together and continues to be an invaluable resource for us. If it is shut down, it will take away essential support we rely on right now,” said Melissa Buck, a mother of five children with special needs adopted through St. Vincent.  

In 2017, the ACLU sued the State of Michigan to shut down its partnerships with faith-based foster and adoption agencies like St. Vincent solely because of their religious beliefs about marriage. St. Vincent takes care of children regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity, and its beliefs have never prevented a child from being placed in a loving home. Gay couples working with other agencies have been able to adopt children in St. Vincent’s care in the past. The ACLU’s clients could have done the same thing, and they even live closer to four other foster and adoption agencies that would have helped them adopt. Instead of going to these agencies to help kids, they have spent years going out of their way to target St. Vincent and try to shut down their programs. 

“It’s baffling why the ACLU is attempting to shut down one of Michigan’s most successful adoption agencies,” says Stephanie Barclay, counsel at Becket. “Michigan foster kids and their families need St. Vincent. And now, because of today’s ruling, the court will hear why.” 

The Buck family, Shamber Flore, and St. Vincent, represented by Becket, have now requested the court to dismiss the needless lawsuit filed by ACLU and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. Oral argument for this hearing will take place on May 10.  

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, please contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. 

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. For over 20 years, it has defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more). 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Minutes ago, news outlets broke the announcement that a Christian student group was—at least temporarily—allowed back on campus just two days after the group asked a federal court to protect its right to choose leaders who affirm its faith. In InterVarsity Christian Fellowship v. Wayne State University, a Christian student group, which had been on campus for 75 years, was derecognized by Michigan-based Wayne State University because the group required its leaders to embrace its faith. In response to InterVarsity’s lawsuit, the school decided that it would allow the student group back on campus. It is unclear whether the school’s change is permanent.

InterVarsity’s student group at Wayne State is one of the oldest chapters in the country. It welcomes all students to join as members, and only requires its leaders agree with its faith. But in late 2017, Wayne State said that InterVarsity’s religious leadership requirements violated school policy, even though many other school programs and student groups “violated” the same policy. The school then derecognized InterVarsity, cancelled the group’s reserved meetings, and forced it to pay thousands of dollars if it wanted to continue holding Bible studies on campus. The school ignored months of requests from InterVarsity to allow it back on campus, until today.

“Being part of our school community has meant the world to us, and we’re so glad that Wayne State is letting us back on campus,” said Cristina Garza, former president and current member of the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship group that had been kicked off campus. “We hope the school will make this change permanent, so no other students have to go through what we’ve been through over the last six months.”

InterVarsity’s Wayne State chapter has held weekly Bible studies, meetings, and organized service opportunities on campus for over 75 years. For instance, the group volunteers in the summers to clean up trash and repair school buildings in downtown Detroit, and just last week participated in a local food pantry event.

“It’s good that Wayne State saw the light after it felt the heat,” said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket, which represents InterVarsity. “But after putting these students through the runaround for months, a last-minute change of heart is hardly enough. This kind of official religious discrimination should never happen again. And Wayne State needs to return the thousands of dollars it charged the student group.”

Today’s about-face came after Becket told Wayne State it would be seeking an emergency court order to reinstate the student group. InterVarsity and Becket are reviewing the school’s decision to determine their next steps.

Dan Dalton of Detroit-based Dalton & Tomich PLC is also representing InterVarsity.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, please contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

** Alex Slavsky of Church Militant was the first to uncover the announcement from Wayne State University.

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. For over 20 years, it has defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A group of adopted children and foster families were in court today to fight back against the ACLU’s efforts to shut down the adoption programs that brought their families together. In Dumont v. Lyon, the ACLU is trying to stop the state of Michigan from working with private adoption agencies because they run their programs based on their religious beliefs. If the ACLU succeeds, this would take away critical support that foster families need, and make it even harder for thousands of foster kids, particularly minority and special needs children, to find permanent homes.  

There is a nationwide shortage of families willing to foster and adopt. In Michigan alone, there are thousands of kids in the foster care system, many of whom age out without finding a home. But in 2017, the ACLU sued the State of Michigan to shut down its partnerships with faith-based foster and adoption agencies like St. Vincent Catholic Charities solely because of their religious beliefs about marriage.  But St. Vincent’s beliefs have never prevented a child from being placed in a loving home.  

“Agencies like St. Vincent find homes for children who were once like me – neglected and abused. I would not have a family or a future if it weren’t for St. Vincent,” said Shamber Flore, a former foster child who found her adoptive family through St. Vincent.

Every year over 600 youth age out of Michigan’s foster care system, which means that at the age of 18 they officially leave the foster system never having found a permanent home. This number is on the rise, and a recent study showed that these youth are more likely to end up in poverty, without an education, and back on the streets. The government can’t recruit enough families to foster and adopt on its own so it relies on private agencies, like St. Vincent Catholic Charities, to help find more willing families. Last year, St. Vincent recruited more new foster families than nearly 90 percent of other agencies in its service area. It is particularly successful at finding homes for children with special needs, minority children, and large sibling groups – and it provides critical ongoing support to foster families who adopt these kids.  

“We couldn’t have adopted without the support of St. Vincent,” said Melissa Buck, a mother of five special needs children adopted through St. Vincent. “And we continue to rely on vital support services St. Vincent provides to this day. If these programs were closed down, it would really hurt our family.”  

Despite St. Vincent’s important work, in September 2017 ACLU sued to make it illegal for the state to partner with them solely because of their religious beliefs about marriage.  St. Vincent’s beliefs have never prevented a child from being placed in a loving home. In fact, gay couples working with other agencies have been able to adopt children in St. Vincent’s care in the past. The ACLU’s clients live closer to four other foster and adoption agencies that would have helped them adopt. Instead of going to these agencies, they have spent years targeting St. Vincent and trying to shut down their programs. 

“There is a crisis in the foster care system. There are thousands of children and not enough homes,” says Stephanie Barclay, counsel at Becket. “The answer is more agencies to recruit and support foster families, not closing down successful ones like St. Vincent. The real casualties of the ACLU’s lawsuit are the kids.” 

A decision on whether foster families and former foster kids will be able to defend their rights alongside St. Vincent is expected by the end of April. 

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, please contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. 

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. For over 20 years, it has defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more). 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A Christian student group is fighting for its right to continue serving at the same campus it has been on for over 75 years. In InterVarsity Christian Fellowship v. Wayne State University, an InterVarsity Christian Fellowship student group, represented by Becket, sued Michigan-based Wayne State University after school officials stripped them of official recognition just because the group requires its leaders to affirm their faith. Wayne State has over 400 student groups that contribute to its intellectual and cultural diversity, all of which are free to select leaders who embrace their missions—except, suddenly, one Christian student group.

InterVarsity welcomes all students to its meetings and to join as members. It requires only that its leaders believe in and live out its faith. Yet in 2017, Wayne State rejected the group’s constitution, derecognized InterVarsity, and cancelled all of InterVarsity reserved meetings. Wayne State’s reason?  After 75 years, Wayne State decided that InterVarsity’s religious leadership requirements violated school policy. Meanwhile Wayne State actively violates its own policy in many of its programs, and allows dozens of other larger student groups do the same.

“Don’t Michigan universities have bigger problems than who leads Bible studies?” said Lori Windham, Senior Legal Counsel at Becket, which represents InterVarsity. “Wayne State should focus on educating students instead of playing belief police.”

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Wayne State is one of the oldest InterVarsity chapters in the country, and has held weekly Bible studies, meetings, and organized service opportunities on campus for over 75 years. For instance, in 2009 the group sponsored a series of campus events that raised awareness regarding human trafficking. And the group regularly hosts discussions of important issues, like the intersection between faith, race, and social justice.

Now InterVarsity is given second-class status, forced to rent tables like outside vendors if it wants to host discussions or reach out to new students. It can no longer reserve meeting rooms for free like other student groups.

“Asking religious leaders to practice what they preach isn’t discrimination, it’s integrity,” said Windham. “Targeting one Christian group that’s served the campus for over 75 years, while giving itself and dozens of larger groups a pass is truly discriminatory.” 

 For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, please contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. For over 20 years, it has defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – An important free speech case has united Christian and LGBT printers at Kentucky’s high court as they seek protection for the right of artists to choose what messages they promote. In Baker v. Hands On Originals, a Kentucky court ruled last year that the government cannot force Blaine Adamson, a Christian screen printer, to print gay pride t-shirts in violation of his religious beliefs. The government has now appealed, and today Becket and University of Virginia Law Professor Douglas Laycock filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting the printer.

“Free speech protects everyone—from the LGBT printer who doesn’t want to print anti-gay messages, to the Christian printer who doesn’t want to print gay-pride t-shirts,” said Luke Goodrich, deputy general counsel at Becket. “In a diverse society, the government doesn’t get to pick one preferred viewpoint and force everyone to agree.”

In 2012, the Gay and Lesbian Services Organization (GLSO) asked Blaine Adamson, the owner of Hands On Originals, to print shirts promoting the local gay-pride festival. Because of Mr. Adamson’s religious beliefs, he declined to print the shirts and instead referred GLSO to other printers who would match his price. Although GLSO received many offers and ultimately obtained the shirts for free, it filed a complaint against Mr. Adamson with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission, which ordered him to print the shirts and attend government-mandated “diversity training” to change his views.

In the printing industry, it is standard practice for business owners not to print messages they disagree with. That is why LGBT business owners have also stood up for Mr. Adamson’s right to choose what messages he promotes.

Mr. Adamson is represented by Alliance Defending Freedom. Becket is represented by Professor Douglas Laycock and Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLCS.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, please contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. For over 20 years, it has defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A Florida Jewish congregation was in court this morning to defend itself against a lawsuit attempting to discriminate against houses of worship. In Gagliardi v. The City of Boca Raton, Florida, the Chabad of East Boca Raton asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit to protect its right to equal access to build in Boca Raton’s business district, as required by federal law (watch this video about the Chabad’s experience). 

The lawsuit was filed by two landowners opposed to the synagogue, claiming the city established Judaism as the city’s official religion by simply granting equal access for houses of worship, including synagogues, to be built in the business district. But federal law requires equal access to religious groups, so it came as no surprise that the landowners suffered back to back losses in federal district court. They then chose to appeal those losses, prolonging a decade-long battle to prevent the Chabad from building.  

“All we’re asking for is equal treatment,” said Rabbi Ruvi New, head of the Chabad of East Boca Raton. “We’re grateful that the City and our local community have long treated us fairly, and we’re hopeful that the Court will protect our right to be equal members of the Boca Raton community.” 

In 2007, the Chabad began encountering hostile, well-organized, and well-financed opposition to its synagogue’s construction plans. That opposition ultimately culminated in the federal lawsuit against the Chabad, where two landowners claimed that allowing the synagogue to be built violated the U.S. Constitution’s Establishment Clause—even though the 2008 city ordinance they challenged grants equal access for all faith groups. Now on appeal, the two landowners are saying that allowing any houses of worship to build would harm them by causing traffic problems, even though they have no complaints about nearby strip malls, 7-11s, and even 22-story condos. In response, national and international groups and local leaders filed friend-of-the-court briefs supporting the Chabad and explaining that the landowners were asking the Court to rubber-stamp religious discrimination.  

“Granting equal treatment is the opposite of establishing a religion. Saying otherwise is not just an attack on the Chabad, but also an attempt to undermine civil rights for every house of worship,” said Daniel Blomberg, counsel at Becket, which represents the Chabad of East Boca Raton. “It’s been ten years; it’s time to stop hurling lawsuits at a synagogue and well past time to let it have its equal chance to build a home for its members.”  

Payvand Ahdout presented oral argument on behalf of the Chabad at the hearing. The Chabad of East Boca is represented by Becket and Kirkland & Ellis. A decision is expected later this year. 

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. 
 

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here). 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – An Iowa federal court late yesterday protected Business Leaders in Christ (BLinC), a Christian student group at the University of Iowa that was kicked off campus for requiring its student leaders to affirm its Biblical beliefs. In BLinC v. University of Iowa, the court said that BlinC must be allowed back on campus to participate in a student recruitment fair today, January 24. This decision is a step toward ensuring that religious student groups are treated the same as all other groups on campus rather than being penalized for their faith.  

The court decision ruled for BLinC saying it found that, “BLinC has shown that the University does not consistently and equally apply” its policy to student groups.  

“The University would never let Iowa State’s Cy the Cardinal lead the Hawkeyes,” said Jacob Estell, BLinC student president. “So why would it think it is okay to force religious student groups to select leaders who don’t embrace their mission?” 

Membership in BLinC is open to all University students and, to preserve its mission, BLinC asks only its leaders to affirm that they embrace and seek to live by its religious beliefs. But after a student complained about BLinC’s leadership requirements and its beliefs concerning marriage, University administrators kicked BLinC off campus and told it to “revise” its Statement of Faith and submit an “acceptable plan” for selecting leaders if it wanted back on.   

Late last week the court heard oral argument in the case. BLinC argued that the University is violating the First Amendment by penalizing it for its religious viewpoint, pointing out that the student who complained about BLinC’s beliefs started his own organization that espouses the exact opposite perspective. The Free Speech, Free Exercise, and Establishment Clauses all prohibit the University from discriminating against religious viewpoints. 

“The Court agreed that the University has to stop discriminating against BLinC because of its religious beliefs,” said Eric Baxter, senior counsel at Becket, which represents BLinC. “Every other group on campus gets to select leaders who embrace their mission. Religious groups don’t get second-class treatment.” 

The Court ordered the University to readmit BLinC immediately and gave the University 90 days to bring its policy enforcement into compliance with law. A decision to permanently allow BLinC to stay on campus and pick leaders who embrace its faith is expected sometime later this year.   

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. 

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here). 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The D.C. Metro, as a government body, is supposed to ensure free speech for everyone, yet now Metro bans any religion-related advertising in its stations and subway cars. After being told it could not buy advertisement space for its annual “Find the perfect gift” Christmas campaign last year, the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington sued the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for banning religious speech. On Friday, Becket along with Arizona Senator Jeff Flake and the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Inc. (ISKCON), filed a friend-of-the-court brief in Archdiocese of Washington v. WMATA, arguing that WMATA does not get to arbitrarily exclude messages just because they are religious.  

In 2015, WMATA issued a ban on “issue-oriented advertising,” forbidding ad space to political, advocacy, and religious advertising from the Metro subway car walls. Secular ads about Christmas – such as department store sales – are permitted, while ads about the religious meaning of Christmas are prohibited. Metro’s speech ban has also been challenged by the ACLU as a Free Speech violation. As Becket states in its brief, “[T]he government has no authority to privilege the view of Christmas that starts at the shopping mall over the view that starts in a manger. Even Charlie Brown understood that privileging a secular, commercial expression of Christmas over one with religious motivation is a value judgment.”   

“Metro’s advertisement policy is a train wreck,” said Mark Rienzi, senior counsel at Becket. “It happily allows defense companies to advertise the latest weapons and Macy’s to advertise a holiday sale, but there is no room at the inn for Baby Jesus? Metro should spend less time playing speech police and more time preventing fires in its stations.”  

Bus and subway advertising are one of the most effective ways for the Archdiocese to spread its message of hope during the Christmas season. But WMATA’s guidelines exclude the Archdiocese from advertising solely because its message is religious. Even though a secular organization can post meeting times, address, or contact information on a metro ad, religious groups – including a monastery – were banned from doing the same thing. 

WMATA’s guidelines exclude religious groups from participating equally in public advertising space, in violation of the recent Trinity Lutheran Supreme Court ruling protecting the right of religious organizations to participate in widely available programs on equal footing with secular organizations. 

“Government agencies should be encouraging free speech, not suppressing the speech they don’t like,” said Rienzi.   

The case is currently before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The Archdiocese is represented by former Solicitor General Paul Clement of Kirkland & Ellis. Ryan Shores and Will Haun of the law firm Shearman & Sterling filed the amicus brief for Becket, Sen. Flake, and ISKCON. 

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, please contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. 

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. For over 20 years, it has defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more). 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A Christian student group went to court this morning after being kicked off University of Iowa’s campus for asking its leaders to embrace its faith. In BLinC v. University of Iowa, Business Leaders in Christ (BLinC) challenged the University’s requirement that to be let back on campus, it needed to “revise” its religious beliefs about sexual morality and stop asking its leaders to share its faith (watch recap on Twitter live).  

The University of Iowa hosts over 500 diverse student groups, such as political groups, environmental groups, and religious groups. Many of these groups limit their leadership and even their membership to those who share their mission. Yet the University is discriminating against BLinC, saying the group cannot require its leaders to share its faith because school administrators don’t like its religious mission. 

“College campuses are supposed to foster a real exchange of diverse ideas,” said Jacob Estell, BLinC student president. “But we are in court today because that is simply no longer the case at the University of Iowa. All we want is the same rights as all other student groups to create a community that reflects who we are and what we believe. The University respects that right for environmental groups, pro-choice groups, and political groups. But it’s treating us as outsiders.”   

Membership in BLinC is open to all University students. To preserve its religious mission, BLinC asks its leaders to affirm that they believe in and live according to its religious beliefs. But after a complaint was filed with the University about BLinC’s leadership requirements and its belief that sexual conduct should take place only in marriage between a man and a woman, University administrators told BLinC that it must “revise” its Statement of Faith and submit an “acceptable plan” for selecting its leaders. When BLinC informed the University that it could not change its faith or stop asking its leaders to share its faith, it was kicked off campus.  

BLinC gives students of faith a community where they can learn to both live their beliefs and thrive in the business world. They serve students and the surrounding community, including tutoring at-risk youth, organizing guest speakers, and organizing student activities like Tippi Gives Thanks, which provides a morale boost ahead of finals week.  

“Getting an education shouldn’t come at the cost of First Amendment rights,” said Eric Baxter, senior counsel at Becket, which is defending BLinC’s right to stay on campus. “Both the Constitution and common sense say that groups should be able to pick leaders who agree with their mission.” 

Oral argument took place today in federal district court in Davenport. A decision is expected sometime next week.  

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. 

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here). 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – FEMA is now accepting disaster aid applications from houses of worship damaged by Hurricane Harvey, a result of lawsuits brought by three Texas churches and two Florida synagogues seeking equal access to relief grants. In Harvest Family Church v. FEMA, and Chabad of Key West v. FEMA, Harvest Family Church, Hi-Way Tabernacle, and Rockport First Assembly of God and Chabad of Key West and Chabad of the Space Coast, respectively, sued FEMA for denying houses of worship access to federal disaster aid grants on equal footing with secular non-profits (watch their story). FEMA announced houses of worship can now apply for disaster relief aid through February 4.  

Last week, FEMA announced a new policy that would put an end to its discrimination against churches, synagogues, and other houses of worship. FEMA’s new application deadline implements that policy by allowing houses of worship to submit applications for disaster relief. Before the litigation, many houses of worship were told they were not eligible for grants and were blocked from applying. Now they will have an opportunity to submit applications for aid even though the original deadline has passed.   

“Houses of worship that were earlier subject to discrimination are now being given a second chance,” said Daniel Blomberg, counsel at Becket, the non-profit religious liberty law firm that represents the Texas churches and the Florida synagogues. “FEMA is making good on its promise to treat houses of worship equally.”  

Houses of worship were among the first to respond in the aftermath of both Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma and they continue to provide aid to help their communities recover. Yet FEMA’s old policy discriminated against churches, mosques and synagogues, while at the same time using them for its own relief efforts.  

FEMA’s new policy aligns with the Supreme Court’s June 2017 decision in Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Comer requiring religious groups to receive equal access to widely available public programs. The three Texas churches’ case is currently on appeal at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The Florida synagogues’ case is pending in federal district court in Key West.   

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.   

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here). 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A non-profit pregnancy center that helps low-income women in Baltimore prevailed over a discriminatory city ordinance today. In Greater Baltimore Center for Pregnancy Concerns, Inc. v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit protected the Center from being forced to violate its conscience by referring for abortions or posting government messages about abortion on its walls.

The Greater Baltimore Center for Pregnancy Concerns provides help to women facing unplanned pregnancies. But a 2009 city ordinance forced the Center to either refer for abortions or display government abortion messaging on the walls of their church-owned property, in violation of their mission and conscience. In 2010, the Center sued the mayor and city council of Baltimore for the right to continue to serve and communicate with women who come to them for help in a way that respects each woman’s choice as well as the Center’s mission. The Center won in 2010, and, following the government’s appeals, the Center won again today.

“We are committed to serving women in need in a way that respects their choices, comforts them in a difficult time and is in line with our mission,” said Carol Clews, executive director of the Center for Pregnancy Concerns. “This court ruling means that we can do our job and the government can’t tell us what to say or how to say it.”

The Center helps nearly 10,000 women a year facing unplanned pregnancies. Volunteers help over 1,200 women for free with basic services like pregnancy tests, baby and maternity clothes, parenting classes, and job placement. The Center also counsels over 8,000 local women per year through its 24-hour helpline.

In 2009, the City of Baltimore targeted the Center, which operates out of Catholic Church-owned property, demanding they display a sign stating that they “do not provide or make referrals for abortion or birth control services,” even though they already inform women in welcome papers and a lobby sign about the caring services they do provide for free and also that they do not offer abortions. Yet the City of Baltimore did not require abortion clinics to display the services they do not offer, such as adoption or prenatal care. The Fourth Circuit’s decision today criticized Baltimore for adopting “retributive speech restrictions” on pro-life speakers, calling the restrictions a “grave violation” of “our nation’s dearest principles.”

“We are very pleased that the Fourth Circuit strongly upheld the First Amendment rights of religious and other nonprofit charities to speak and to serve those in need in the manner their conscience dictates, without undue government interference,” said Dave Kinkopf, of Gallagher, Evelius & Jones, which represents the Center.

“This is a victory for the First Amendment and for the women of Baltimore,” said Tom Schetelich, chairman of the board of the Greater Baltimore Center for Pregnancy Concerns.

“Today’s decision confirms that government has no place mandating speech—especially speech associated with deeply-held religious beliefs,” said Mark Rienzi, senior counsel at Becket, the non-profit religious liberty law firm also representing the Center. “The Center can now continue helping women in need without the government telling them how to talk about abortion.”

The Greater Baltimore Center for Pregnancy Concerns is represented by Gallagher Evelius & Jones, Becket, and Peter Basile from Ferguson, Schetelich & Ballew, P.A.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, please contact Ryan Colby at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7219. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. 

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here). 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Shamber Flore and several adoptive families are going to court in Michigan today to stand up for vulnerable foster children. In Dumont v. Lyon, the ACLU is trying to force religious adoption agencies to close their foster and adoption programs, making it even harder for thousands of foster kids to find permanent homes. If successful, the ACLU’s lawsuit would especially harm minority and special needs kids.       

Every year in Michigan, over 600 youth “age out” of foster care, which means that at the age of 18 they officially leave the foster system never having found a permanent family. This number is on the rise, and a recent study showed that these youth—mostly African American—are particularly vulnerable to ending up in poverty, without an education, and back on the streets. That’s where religious adoption agencies like St. Vincent Catholic Charities come in.  

“I don’t understand why the ACLU is trying to take away hope from children who were once like me—victims of abuse exposed to drugs, prostitution, and neglect,” said Shamber Flore, who was adopted as a foster child in 2005. “My family would not have adopted me without the help of St. Vincent. We need more agencies like this finding more homes for kids—not less.” 

Last year, St. Vincent recruited more new foster families than almost every other agency in its service area. Religious adoption agencies like St. Vincent are important in this work because they can reach families from different segments of the population that would not otherwise adopt or foster. They are also particularly successful at placing large sibling groups and providing support to families with medically fragile kids. And the majority of kids in St. Vincent’s care are minority and special needs children.  

But in September 2017, the ACLU sued trying to make it illegal for the state of Michigan to partner with religious adoption agencies simply because of their religious beliefs. 

“The ACLU’s lawsuit is not at all about protecting children. It’s about scoring cheap political points at the expense of children,” said Stephanie Barclay, counsel at Becket. “Thankfully, the constitution prohibits that result.”   

Becket is representing Shamber Flore, Melissa and Chad Buck, and St. Vincent Catholic Charities. Becket will file today to intervene in the Eastern District of Michigan to defend the right of families and religious adoption agencies to keep serving Michigan’s most vulnerable children.  

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. 

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here). 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This morning, the Little Sisters of the Poor waited outside a Philadelphia courthouse while a hearing inside decided their fate. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro is suing the federal government to take away the Sisters’ religious exemption from the HHS contraceptive mandate. Shapiro says that the Little Sisters and others who would be affected if he wins have no say in court over what happens to their rights. Today supporters gathered outside the Philadelphia court to support the Little Sisters in this case, where Mother Loraine Marie Maguire addressed the crowd.

In early October, HHS issued a new rule that protects the Little Sisters of the Poor and other religious non-profits from providing services in their healthcare plans that violate their faith like the week-after pill. The Little Sisters’ four-year legal ordeal seemed close to an end but now Pennsylvania’s lawsuit threatens the Sisters’ rights again. Just last week, Pennsylvania obtained a court order keeping the Little Sisters from joining the case to defend their hard-won rights. Becket immediately appealed that order to the Third Circuit.

“We are hopeful that the court will rule as the Supreme Court ruled, that the government doesn’t need us to do its work. As Little Sisters of the Poor, all we want is to follow our calling to love and to serve and finally put this legal ordeal behind us,” said Mother Loraine Marie Maguire, mother provincial of the Little Sister of the Poor.

Represented by Becket, the Little Sisters spent the last four years battling the HHS mandate (learn more about the Little Sisters here). Following an earlier ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court, in October HHS finally admitted that it had been wrong to fight the Little Sisters of the Poor.

“After the Little Sisters’ four-year fight, a Supreme Court victory, and a new rule that protects women like them, Attorney General Shapiro still went to court to take away their rights. He then argued that the Little Sisters shouldn’t even be allowed to come to this court today to make their case,” said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket, which is representing the Little Sisters of the Poor. “Josh Shapiro left the Little Sisters of the Poor out in the cold – in the City of Brotherly Love.”

Oral argument took place in federal district court in Philadelphia to decide if the protection for the Little Sisters will stand. A similar hearing took place on Tuesday in Oakland, California where supporters rallied outside the courthouse in support of the Little Sisters.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

Additional Information:       

• Little Sisters’ Motion to Intervene (November 22, 2017)
• Media Kit for press use (images, b-roll, graphics. Credit: Becket)
• Chart of state contraceptive mandate coverage (Credit: Kaiser)
• New HHS Interim Rule
• Case Page for Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Hargan (press releases, legal docs, news, images)
• Website: thelittlesistersofthepoor.com

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last night, and for the second time in a row, a group of pastors defeated a lawsuit by militant atheists that demanded the IRS control the internal religious teachings of houses of worship. The atheists—Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF)—dismissed their own lawsuit, giving up before the court had a chance to rule against them. FFRF’s dismissal in FFRF v. Trump comes just three years after it did the same thing in their identical lawsuit, FFRF v. Koskinen. Both times, FFRF ran away after religious leaders intervened to defend their rights. By law, because this is now the second time that FFRF has given up on the same claim, FFRF’s dismissal means they have lost on the merits—and the pastors have permanently fended off FFRF.

The following statement can be attributed to Daniel Blomberg, counsel at Becket:

“FFRF is running away again, and this time for good—in federal court, you don’t get a third bite at the apple. Which is great news for pastors, priests, rabbis, and imams who want to preach their faith without IRS censorship. The pulpit is one place where a little more separation of church and state would go a long way.”

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, please contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. For over 20 years, it has defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Business Leaders in Christ (BLinC), a small Christian student group at the University of Iowa, sued University officials today after being kicked off campus for requiring its student leaders embrace its religious beliefs. The Dean of Students told BLinC that if it wants to be back on campus, it must “revise” its religious beliefs and submit an “acceptable plan” for selecting its leaders. In BLinC v. University of Iowa, BLinC asks the court to stop this religious discrimination and allow it to choose leaders who embrace its mission, just like every other student group on campus. 

There are over 500 student groups at the University with distinct missions, creating an intellectually and culturally rich campus environment. Fraternities and sororities can limit membership to men and women respectively. Pro-choice groups can reject students who are pro-life and vice versa. Feminist groups may require members to support their cause. And environmental groups can choose leaders who support theirs. But even though BLinC allows anyone to join, the University is discriminating against it for requiring its leaders to embrace its mission and beliefs. 

“This is 2017, not 1984,” said Jacob Estell, the student president of BLinC. “Our beliefs weren’t made by us, and they can’t be changed by us either—certainly not just to satisfy Orwellian government rules.”   

BLinC is a small student organization that gives Christian students a forum for discussing how to incorporate their beliefs in the competitive business world and for providing community service. Its members answer the call to serve because of their religious beliefs. On September 1, 2017, the University told BLinC it could select leaders who affirm its beliefs, so long as those beliefs were clearly stated so students would be aware of them. But after BLinC added a statement of its religious beliefs to its campus webpage, the University responded by kicking it off campus shortly before Thanksgiving. 

“This is premeditated religious discrimination, plain and simple,” said Eric Baxter, senior counsel at Becket, which is defending BLinC’s right to equal treatment by the University. “A state school cannot demand a change to students’ faith any more than the U.S. President could demand a change to the Bible.” 

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7224. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. 

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court. For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians (read more here).