Justice Department Updates Religious Liberty Guidance Across Agencies

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche announced updated federal guidance on religious liberty, expanding the 2017 Religious Liberty Guidelines to reflect recent Supreme Court decisions and the protections of RFRA. The guidance directs all federal agencies to ensure programs, employment, contracting, rulemaking, and enforcement comply with the Constitution and RFRA, while emphasizing that the Establishment Clause should be interpreted in light of historical practices. It reinforces church autonomy, parental rights to direct children’s religious upbringing and education, and the right to act or abstain from action in accordance with religious beliefs, while clarifying that accommodations for religious observance may be required unless they impose substantial hardship. The updates also address preventing government coercion or interference in religious matters and call for equal treatment of religious organizations in public programs. The move comes as Blanche’s own confirmation as attorney general faces Senate scrutiny and amid broader political debate over how religious liberty should be protected in federal policy. Overall, the revised directive aims to provide clearer protections for religious expression and organization within federal interactions with the public, drawing on recent court rulings to delineate the balance between free exercise and establishment concerns.