Home : Religion and Belief : Free Exercise of Religion

ACLU Represents Muslim Woman Forced to Remove Hijab
In October 2008, the County of San Bernardino agreed to adopt a policy accommodating the right of Muslim women to wear headscarves in accordance with their religious beliefs in County Jails. The County agreed to implement the new policy as part of the settlement of a lawsuit brought by the ACLU of Southern California, the ACLU Women's Rights Project, and the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief. Learn More >>

San Bernardino County Agrees To Allow Religious Head Scarves In County Jails (11/03/2008)
ORANGE, CA -- San Bernardino County agreed today to institute policies that accommodate the First Amendment right to wear religious head scarves in jail.

ACLU Urges Governor Crist to Uphold and Respect Religious Freedom for All Floridians (10/10/2008)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today sent a letter to Governor Charlie Crist urging him to end discrimination in Florida's prisons by accommodating the sacred religious beliefs of inmates. The letter asks Crist specifically to stop the Department of Corrections from continuing to violate inmates' exercise of religion, by amending state regulations to provide religious freedom to everyone. The ACLU hopes that if the state changes its policy, local county jails will follow the example.

City of Portland Upholds Freedom of Religion (08/22/2008)
PORTLAND — After more than five hours of testimony from neighbors, clergy, and supporters of religious liberty, the Portland Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously voted to allow a Portland Rabbi to continue prayer in his home. Rabbi Moshe Wilansky had received a cease-and-desist letter from Portland in May, ordering him to stop using his home as a "place of worship". The Zoning Board of Appeals, however, rejected the city's interpretation of the zoning ordinance, finding instead that the Rabbi was using his home in a perfectly acceptable way.

Vigil planned to support Rabbi in Portland zoning dispute (08/20/2008)
PORTLAND, Maine - People from many religious faiths are expected to rally at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 21, at City Hall Plaza to support a Portland rabbi locked in a zoning dispute with the city. The "Vigil for Religious Liberty" will include leaders from several faith traditions who are deeply opposed to government interference in religion.

ACLU Secures Religious Freedom For American Indians At Wyoming Prison (07/30/2008)
RAWLINS, WY – Corrections officials at the Wyoming State Penitentiary (WSP) have agreed to allow American Indian prisoners access to eagle feathers for use in their traditional Indian religious practices.

Yellow Bear v. Lampert - Consent Decree (07/30/2008)

Egbert v. Nicholson Petition to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (09/29/2006)
Egbert v. Nicholson Petition to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims

Complaint in ACLU v. North Carolina (07/27/2005)

Complaint in Second Baptist v. Mifflin (10/28/2002)

ACLU Memo in Support of Second Baptist (10/28/2002)

Coalition Sign-On Letter Opposing the Workplace Religious Freedom Act (05/15/2008)

The CARD Coalition Urges the HELP Committee Not to Advance SAMHSA Until Religious Liberty and Civil Rights Concerns Are Addressed (01/29/2008)

Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty Letter Urging Opposition to the "Public Expression of Religion Act" (09/05/2006)

Jewish Council for Public Affairs Letter urging Opposition to the "Public Expression of Religion Act" (09/05/2006)

ACLU Letter to the Senate Urging Opposition of (S. 3696) the Public Expressions of Religion Protection Act of 2006 (08/02/2006)

San Bernardino County Agrees To Allow Religious Head Scarves In County Jails (11/03/2008)
ORANGE, CA -- San Bernardino County agreed today to institute policies that accommodate the First Amendment right to wear religious head scarves in jail.

ACLU Urges Governor Crist to Uphold and Respect Religious Freedom for All Floridians (10/10/2008)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today sent a letter to Governor Charlie Crist urging him to end discrimination in Florida's prisons by accommodating the sacred religious beliefs of inmates. The letter asks Crist specifically to stop the Department of Corrections from continuing to violate inmates' exercise of religion, by amending state regulations to provide religious freedom to everyone. The ACLU hopes that if the state changes its policy, local county jails will follow the example.

City of Portland Upholds Freedom of Religion (08/22/2008)
PORTLAND — After more than five hours of testimony from neighbors, clergy, and supporters of religious liberty, the Portland Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously voted to allow a Portland Rabbi to continue prayer in his home. Rabbi Moshe Wilansky had received a cease-and-desist letter from Portland in May, ordering him to stop using his home as a "place of worship". The Zoning Board of Appeals, however, rejected the city's interpretation of the zoning ordinance, finding instead that the Rabbi was using his home in a perfectly acceptable way.

Vigil planned to support Rabbi in Portland zoning dispute (08/20/2008)
PORTLAND, Maine - People from many religious faiths are expected to rally at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 21, at City Hall Plaza to support a Portland rabbi locked in a zoning dispute with the city. The "Vigil for Religious Liberty" will include leaders from several faith traditions who are deeply opposed to government interference in religion.

ACLU Secures Religious Freedom For American Indians At Wyoming Prison (07/30/2008)
RAWLINS, WY – Corrections officials at the Wyoming State Penitentiary (WSP) have agreed to allow American Indian prisoners access to eagle feathers for use in their traditional Indian religious practices.