In response to the Trump Administration’s creation of an “Anti-Christian Bias” Task Force, Americans United is suing the Department of State – one of the first agencies to begin collecting information about instances of ostensible “anti-Christian bias” – under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Through this lawsuit, Americans United aims to debunk allegations of Christian persecution by the federal government and to expose ongoing government attempts to privilege Christian nationalism.
In February 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14202, which created an “Anti-Christian Bias” Task Force to investigate the ostensible persecution of Christians by and within the federal government. In response, the State Department sent out a cable to all U.S. diplomatic missions requesting that its employees worldwide report alleged instances of anti-Christian bias during the Biden administration through an anonymous tip form, which was to be submitted to the State Department’s Office of Civil Rights.
Americans United submitted a FOIA request to the State Department in May 2025, seeking data and records related to how the Department is defining, tracking, and responding to alleged anti-Christian policies and conduct. When the State Department failed to respond and produce the relevant documents within the statutory deadline, Americans United filed a lawsuit under the FOIA to compel production of these important records. These records will enable Americans United and the public to evaluate the State Department’s commitment to religious neutrality and the Trump administration’s farcical claims that government agencies engage in anti-Christian discrimination.
