Federal employees and a union representing federal workers today urge a federal court to issue a preliminary injunction
October 28, 2026 - San Francisco – Federal employees and a union representing federal workers on Tuesday will urge a 
federal court to issue a preliminary injunction to stop U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins from continuing to proselytize 100,000 USDA employees through email before the next major Christian holiday – Christmas.
In a hearing on Tuesday before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in the case National Federation of Federal Employees v. USDA, attorneys for the employees will explain that the secretary is abusing her authority by using the Office of the Secretary email account to pressure her USDA subordinates to conform to her religious beliefs. USDA employees are expected to read emails from USDA leadership and cannot avoid them. Despite their ongoing lawsuit, Rollins continues sending agency-wide emails that convey her expectation that USDA employees should share in her religious beliefs.
Just last month Rollins admitted that, “I do use this platform. I believe in making disciples of all the nations,” and despite the lawsuits, she will “never stop talking about Jesus.” She has made clear that she will not stop exploiting her government position to impose Christianity on a captive audience of federal workers unless the court intervenes.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Democracy Forward, and Bryan Schwartz Law represent the plaintiffs – six federal workers and the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) union that represents 110,000 federal employees, including thousands of USDA workers.
“Secretary Rollins is abusing her public position to proselytize to employees who report to her. This violates the establishment clause and threatens important pillars of our democracy,” said Sarah Goetz, Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward. “We will not allow Christian nationalism to pervert our democracy or our Constitution and we remain committed to fighting on behalf of the nonpartisan civil service.”
“We urge the court to protect federal workers’ religious freedom and stop Secretary Rollins from abusing the power of her public office to impose her beliefs on others,” said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United. “Across the federal government, the Trump administration has misused taxpayer resources to preach, hold government-sponsored prayer services during work time, and broadcast Christian Nationalism over official communications channels. Not on our watch.”
“The Constitution helped us form a strong and diverse nation of people from all different backgrounds precisely because it prohibits leaders from trying to use their positions to establish a state-sponsored religion,” said Bryan Schwartz, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys. “We are fighting to protect this basic American value – to ensure that no one is excluded or included in the government just because of their religious or non-religious beliefs.”
In addition to seeking a preliminary injunction, the workers’ attorneys today will oppose the defendants’ motion to dismiss the case. The workers also are asking the court to grant a stay under the Administrative Procedure Act to preliminarily set aside Rollins’ proselytizing messaging policy.
The lawsuit argues that Rollins is creating a preferred “in-group” religion at the USDA. Rollins’ messages addressed to “All USDA Employees” have proclaimed they share her beliefs with phrases including “our Savior Jesus Christ, who came to free us from our sins,” “our faith,” “the foot of the Cross on Good Friday,” “Jesus has been raised from the dead,” and “hell took a body, and discovered God.” She has compared USDA employees to “the very first disciples to encounter our risen Lord.” Rollins is establishing a religious preference within the USDA, a clear violation of the First Amendment.
Attorneys representing the workers in court today include, from Americans United, Managing Attorney Amy Tai, Litigation Counsel Jenny Samuels, and Constitutional Litigation Fellow Elias W.H. Daiute, and from Democracy Forward, Senior Counsel Sarah Goetz. Additional attorneys on the legal team include, from Bryan Schwartz Law, attorneys Bryan Schwartz and Sam Goity; AU Vice President and Legal Director Rebecca Markert; and, from Democracy Forward, Legal Director Elena Goldstein and Senior Legal Advisor Ayesha Khan.
Democracy Forward Foundation is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.
Founded in 1947, Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a religious freedom advocacy organization that educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.
Attorney Bryan Schwartz opened Bryan Schwartz Law, P.C. (www.bryanschwartzlaw.com) in January 2009, dedicated to continuing the struggle for civil rights and equality of employment opportunity, and helping Americans from every background to achieve their highest career potential. The firm focuses on individual, class, and collective actions involving discrimination and retaliation, harassment, denied disability accommodations, whistleblower reprisal, wage and hour violations, federal employees’ rights, and severance negotiations.
Source: Democracy Forward Foundation
