In Newsom v Trump amicus brief, Interfaith Alliance says right to protest is key to religious freedom

WASHINGTON — Interfaith Alliance, a leading national advocate for religious freedom, has filed an amicus curiae brief in Newsom v. Trump, supporting Governor Newsom and U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer’s ruling that the Trump administration broke the law when it deployed approximately 4,000 National Guard soldiers and 700 Marines to Los Angeles in June during immigration enforcement operations and related protests. The case will next be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. 

Interfaith Alliance’s brief argues that upholding this ruling is essential to protecting religious freedom, emphasizing that for many communities of faith, peaceful protest is a sacred religious practice protected by the Constitution. “For many Americans, publicly protesting injustice is an essential expression of their faith….The deployment of armed National Guardsmen in Los Angeles threatens to escalate an already volatile situation and result in violence directed at peaceful protestors. The potential for such violence predictably chills the exercise of the First Amendment rights to free expression, free exercise of religion, and peaceable assembly.”

Interfaith Alliance is represented in the case by Democracy Forward, the most prominent legal organization in the country today, fighting back against the Trump administration. Democracy Forward CEO and President Skye Perryman is also a member of the Interfaith Alliance Board of Directors.

“When people of faith take to the streets, they are living out their deepest religious convictions, while exercising their First Amendment rights,” said Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance. “Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Assembly, and the Free Exercise values of the First Amendment work together to protect faith-based protests. From the diverse faith communities who marched during the Civil Rights Movement to today’s faith leaders standing with immigrants and the marginalized, religious protest has always been central to American democracy. The government cannot be allowed to silence these sacred expressions through the use of authoritarian military force."

The brief documents how religiously motivated demonstrations such as vigils and marches represent core expressions of faith protected under the Free Exercise Clause.

“President Trump’s lawlessness is a threat to the First Amendment and chills the fundamental rights of people of faith everywhere,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “We are honored to work with the brave faith leaders at the Interfaith Alliance to ensure the court knows that people of every denomination are united in demanding the court honor their First Amendment rights and that President Trump stop using the National Guard to prevent free speech. 

In addition to participating in this case, Interfaith Alliance served on the steering committee of NO KINGS and is mobilizing faith communities ahead of the next NO KINGS Day on October 18.

MEDIA CONTACT - Ben DePasquale, [email protected]

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‍‍Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information, visit interfaithalliance.org.