“This is a stunning reversal of course. It is unconscionable that the federal government, after supporting Aimee Stephens through five years of court battles, would abandon her on the Supreme Court’s doorstep," said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United.

“Yet again, the Trump-Pence administration is catering to a narrow segment of evangelical Christians and granting special status to their beliefs in federal policy. That is unacceptable. We stand with the transgender community and will continue to advocate to keep religion and government separate," said AU President and CEO Rachel Laser.

“Separation of church and state is under sustained attack by the Trump-Pence administration. I believe this vital constitutional principle deserves nothing less than a full-throttle defense, and I look forward to joining the fight," said Tali Israeli, AU's new strategic communications director.

Upon today’s Senate vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court (by a razor thin margin), Americans United for Separation of Church and State President and CEO Rachel Laser issued the following statement:

“Brett Kavanaugh has shown himself to be unworthy of a seat on the Supreme Court, and today’s vote in the Senate is a stain on that institution. Rather than a full and fair hearing that would have examined Kavanaugh’s record and the serious charges against him, the country saw a rushed, perfunctory process that had all the hallmarks of a sham.

The city of Philadelphia does not have to contract with religiously affiliated foster-care placement agencies that engage in discriminatory policies against potential foster parents, Americans United for Separation of Church and State argues in a legal brief filed today.

The case, Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, concerns a decision by Philadelphia officials to stop referring children to Catholic Social Services for foster-care placements after the religious group made it clear that it would not accept same-sex couples as foster parents.