Editor’s note: AU’s “Wall of Separation” blog will provide this semi-regular summary of Trump administration actions to undermine church-state separation, religious freedom, and the rights and freedoms that depend on them. We’ll keep you updated on how AU is fighting these attacks, and how you can help defend church-state separation – the cornerstone of our democracy. You can read our last installment here.
Six months into Donald Trump’s presidency, we know one truth cannot be denied: Christian Nationalists have launched a wave of emboldened and brazen attacks on our liberties, rights and freedoms. While they move forward with their attacks on our public schools, our public buildings and even federal agencies, Americans United is proud to lead a role in the legal resistance.
Here is a look into what is happening, what Americans United is doing and how you can help.
In the spirit of creating a solution to a non-existent problem, back in February Trump created the “Anti-Christian Bias Task Force.” Americans United saw this for what it was and denounced it as a “Christian Nationalist crusade.” Now his Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) set up its own task force and began urging its employees to report any alleged acts of anti-Christian discrimination. AU launched an investigation and requested records – but we were stonewalled. So, we’re suing. The American people have a right to know how their government is favoring federal employees of one religion over all others. If the VA’s leadership believes there’s evidence of widespread anti-Christian discrimination, let them produce it.
If the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” harms millions of people, how can it still be called beautiful? As AU’s Associate Vice President of Public Policy Dena Sher wrote, not only is this bill not beautiful, it’s “brutal.” It’s bad enough that the bill guts essential and potentially lifesaving health care coverage for millions, but it also gives away billions of taxpayer dollars to subsidize the first ever national private school voucher program. That’s right, folks. According to Congress’ budget reconciliation bill signed by Trump, we have no money to help Americans who are just trying to survive – but there’s billions to fund students from wealthy families who are already able to afford private and mostly religious schools.
Created at the beginning of May under the guise to “safeguard and promote America’s founding principle of religious freedom,” Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission held its first meeting at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. Have we mentioned how the commission is staffed with Christian Nationalists? AU President and CEO Rachel Laser and our Vice President of Public Policy Alessandro Terenzoni were among the attendees and part of a group of people who walked out during comments made by Attorney General Pam Bondi. Alessandro had previously worked in the U.S. Justice Department as a civil rights lawyer before coming to AU, and you can read his about his experience at the meeting here on seeing firsthand the danger of merging government, power and religion.
In early June, the Trump administration yet again targeted predominantly Muslim, Black & brown countries mostly from Africa and the Middle East with his new Muslim Ban. Like previous bans, this version was issued under the guise of “national security and public safety,” but it’s a clear continuation of the white Christian Nationalist playbook to use immigration law to gerrymander America into a white Christian nation. The administration is now arguing that 12 countries in those regions don’t have sufficient immigration vetting and screening procedures, which led to the ban. His administration also heightened restrictions for seven additional countries from Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. Americans United saw this as the latest version of his cruel 2017 Muslim ban. As we have said before, one of the great promises of America is that people of all religions and none are welcome here.
Americans United was a proud sponsor of the “No Kings Nationwide Day of Defiance,” where millions of people mobilized to resist tyranny and push back against the war on our rights and liberties. Supporters of church-state separation made their voices heard along with millions of other Americans in thousands of cities across the country. But this is only the beginning. We have exciting new action alerts coming soon, and the best way to stay in the loop is to join the Americans United Action Network!
Here is information on how to sign up and more ways to get involved:
