The U.S. religious freedom ambassador on Thursday called on governments to release prisoners of conscience during the new coronavirus pandemic. “In this time of pandemic, religious prisoners should be released. We call on all governments around the world to do so,” Sam Brownback, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, said on April 2 during a…Read More
The White House and Senate leaders of both parties announced agreement early Wednesday on an unprecedented $2 trillion emergency bill to rush sweeping aid to businesses, workers and a health care system slammed by the coronavirus pandemic. The urgently needed pandemic response measure is the largest economic rescue measure in history and is intended as…Read More
President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed into law a coronavirus relief package that includes provisions for free testing for Covid-19 and paid emergency leave. The Senate had earlier Wednesday approved the House-passed bill. The move allowed the upper chamber to devote its full attention to passing the next relief package in response to the coronavirus…Read More
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is targeting state and local government violations of religious freedom, a senior DOJ official told reporters on Monday. “Attorney General Barr is particularly interested in religious freedom, and religious liberty issues,” said Eric Dreiband, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, on Monday. There…Read More
After the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” policy Feb. 28, the court later the same day put a stay on its own ruling. The administration’s 2019 Migrant Protection Protocols, as the policy is formally known, require asylum-seekers to stay in Mexico while their cases make their…Read More
A federal appeals court ruled Monday that the Trump administration’s policy adjustments to the Title X program can stay, meaning that Planned Parenthood will continue to lose out on about $60 million in federal funding. On Feb. 24, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 7-4 to uphold the “Protect Life Rule,” which changed eligibility…Read More
Due to Loopholes in the Mexico City Policy, U.S. Groups that Perform or Promote Abortion are Still Receiving Foreign Aid Money from the Government In 2006, in the west African country of Ghana, five organizations from the United States and the U.K. formed a coalition with the singular mission of expanding access to abortion and…Read More
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have spoken out against a Supreme Court decision permitting a new “public charge” rule to go into effect. A statement released Wednesday said the new rule limits access to public benefits for poor immigrants and is antithetical to Catholic teachings to love and serve the needy. On Jan.…Read More
There is no international right to abortion, the U.S. health secretary told officials from more than 30 countries on Thursday in Washington, D.C. “I stated this fact at the United Nations this past September, and I’ll repeat it here: there is no international human right to abortion. On the other hand, there is an international…Read More
Refugees looking to resettle in Oklahoma will continue to be welcome here, Gov. Kevin Stitt told federal authorities this week. In a letter Wednesday to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Stitt gave his formal consent to allow refugees to resettle in Oklahoma. “Faith leaders across the state reached out requesting the state continue its history…Read More