News From The Week Of January 27 – 31, 2020

Friend:

Yesterday, President Trump announced an expansion of his discriminatory Muslim Ban – just days after its three-year anniversary: [link removed]

We will continue to fight back. In Richmond, Va., earlier this week, AU, other activist organizations and people harmed by the ban rallied at the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals while the court heard arguments in our case and two others challenging the Muslim Ban.

It is unconstitutional and fundamentally un-American to ban people because of their faith. That’s why we will continue to argue the Muslim Ban case in court until it is struck down.

But take heart – momentum for separating religion and government continues to build. Back in Washington, AU’s incredible public policy team was on Capitol Hill briefing lawmakers’ offices about the Trump administration’s newly proposed regulations governing faith-based service providers.

The room was filled to the brim with staff from both chambers piling in to learn from AU VP for Public Policy Maggie Garrett and our allies about this attack on religious freedom.

Announced on … wait for it ... Religious Freedom Day, these new regulations would roll back key religious freedom protections for millions of our country’s most vulnerable people when they seek taxpayer-funded social services such as homeless shelters and substance-abuse counseling.

The energy behind our movement for religious freedom is growing by the day, team – as are the challenges we’re facing. Thanks for being such a big part of our work.

With hope and determination,

Rachel K. Laser
President and CEO

Trump Attorney Jay Sekulow Has A Long History Of Shady Dealings:
Sekulow was involved in numerous legal cases designed to lower the church-state wall. In court, he argued for religious displays on government property, advocated for tax funding of religion and pushed for more official religious presence in public schools.
READ MORE » [link removed]

Don’t Be Fooled! Voucher ‘Pilot’ Programs Are A Trap:
Saying they’ll limit the scope of voucher programs is a tactic that we’ve seen pro-voucher legislators use before. They know that “temporary” voucher programs never end and “narrow” programs get expanded.
READ MORE » [link removed]

N.J. Religious Schools Withdraw Applications For State Funding In Response To AU And ACLU Suit:
The two grants were part of a package of aid to fund various construction projects at New Jersey institutions of higher education. AU and ACLU-NJ pointed out that the two grants violated a provision of the New Jersey Constitution that expressly prohibits awarding taxpayer funding to ministries or places of worship.
READ MORE » [link removed]

In Florida, Millions In Taxpayer Dollars Are Propping Up Anti-LGBTQ Religious Schools:
Repeal voucher plans or don’t pass them in the first place. Ensure that our tax resources flow only to public schools – the system that welcomes all students, regardless of their religious beliefs, special needs or sexual orientation.
READ MORE » [link removed]

Unhappy With Election Results, Jerry Falwell Jr. Proposes Breaking Up Virginia:
As much as Jerry Falwell Jr. complains about totalitarianism in Virginia, it’s likely that what’s really bothering him is his bottom line.
READ MORE » [link removed]

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