Americans United denounces SCOTUS decision that endangers the religious freedom of incarcerated people

Americans United for Separation of Church and State President and CEO Rachel Laser issued the following statement in response to today’s U.S. Supreme Court 6-3 decision along ideological lines in the Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections case, which involves a devout Rastafarian, Damon Landor, whose knee-length dreadlocks were cruelly shaved off by prison officials:

“Today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision endangers the religious freedom of incarcerated people, like Damon Landor, who are particularly vulnerable to abuse and having unnecessary burdens placed on their religious exercise. Once again, we see a court that will bend over backward for the religious freedom of Christians, but allows the government to trample the religious freedom of non-Christians. We can only hope this faulty decision doesn’t embolden more prison officials to ignore the religious-freedom rights of incarcerated people to observe their faith as long as they don’t harm others.”

Americans United was joined by five religious and civil rights organizations in an amicus brief in support of Landor at the U.S. Supreme Court. The brief argued that the ability to sue for individual damages is critical for imprisoned people seeking to defend their religious freedom, and that the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) protects against abuses of this remedy. Americans United was joined by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Global Justice Institute: Metropolitan Community Churches, Interfaith Alliance, People for the American Way and Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus.