U.S. legal developments bolster religious liberty protections

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a new opinion stating that federal rules prohibiting faith-based groups from using funds for worship, instruction, or proselytization violate the First Amendment. The opinion, titled “Constitutionality of Religious Restrictions on the Use of Federal Funds,” argues that restrictions based on the anticipated religious use of funds are presumptively unconstitutional under the Free Exercise Clause.

In a separate legal development, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit upheld restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids at certain houses of worship. The court affirmed a preliminary injunction requiring the Department of Homeland Security to follow safeguards during immigration enforcement, noting that the threat of raids can create a chilling effect that burdens religious exercise and violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).