Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, LITIGATION NEWS, TRENDS—Federal employees seek immediate court order to stop USDA Secretary's religious messages, (Jul 24, 2026)

By Brandi O. Brown, J.D.

Alleging government-sponsored religious coercion, federal employees are asking a California judge to block future USDA messages that they say promote Christianity in the workplace.

A federal employees union and several U.S. Department of Agriculture workers are asking a federal judge to immediately block Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins from sending what they characterize as proselytizing Christian messages to the agency's workforce, arguing the communications violate both the First Amendment and federal administrative law.

In a motion for a preliminary injunction filed July 22 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) and six USDA employees asked the court to prohibit USDA officials from sending messages that "proselytize, promote, or favor any particular religion" while litigation over the agency's communications policy proceeds.

The request builds on the complaint filed in May by the plaintiffs. In it, they allege that during her tenure as Agriculture Secretary, Rollins adopted "a practice of sending increasingly proselytizing communications to the entire USDA workforce, promoting her own preferred brand of Christian beliefs and theology to the captive audience of employees that report to her, directly or indirectly."

Easter message. According to the plaintiffs’ initial allegations, that effort "reached a crescendo" with an Easter message sent to all USDA employees on April 5, 2026. The email opened with "Happy Easter -- He is Risen indeed!" and described Easter as "the greatest story ever told, the foundation of our faith, and the abiding hope of all mankind." It included multiple references to Jesus' resurrection, the Cross, and Christian salvation, while urging employees to be "like the very first disciples to encounter our risen Lord." The complaint says the message also featured an illustration proclaiming "Christ is Risen."

The employees argue that phrases such as "we celebrate," "our faith," and references to "our risen Lord" conveyed an expectation that USDA employees share the Secretary's religious beliefs. They contend the messages created a preferred religious "in-group" within the agency and amounted to government-sponsored religious coercion in violation of the Establishment Clause.

"The Trump administration is waging a relentless and increasingly brazen crusade against church-state separation and the religious freedom of federal workers," Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church & State, said when the lawsuit was filed. "Trump is not Jesus, federal agencies are not churches, and cabinet secretaries are not government preachers." Americans United is representing the plaintiffs alongside Democracy Forward and Bryan Schwartz Law.

Not isolated, however. Plaintiffs say the Easter message was not an isolated incident. The complaint cites earlier agency-wide communications, including a July 2025 Independence Day message invoking God's protection, a Thanksgiving email crediting "a loving God," and a Christmas message describing Jesus Christ as "our Savior" who came "to free us from our sins and open the door to eternal life."

“Another opportunity to remind everyone.” According to the preliminary injunction motion, Rollins continued the practice even after the lawsuit was filed. Plaintiffs point to Memorial Day and Independence Day emails sent this year that quoted scripture and referenced "our Creator," as well as a social media post in which Rollins reportedly responded to the litigation by writing, "It's just another opportunity to remind everyone: He is Risen."

Required to read the emails. The union and employees argue that the communications are particularly coercive because USDA workers are effectively required to read messages from the Secretary. Court filings note that emails from the Office of the Secretary frequently contain information about agency reorganizations, personnel programs, office closures, government shutdown planning, and other matters directly affecting employees' careers.

"We work for the federal government, not a church," one USDA physical science technician said when the lawsuit was announced. "When the Secretary sends an email, I have to read it. And when those emails are telling me what to believe, they make me feel unwelcome in an agency I've dedicated ten years to."

Marginalization. Several employees named in the lawsuit describe feeling marginalized by the messages. A Jewish employee said the Easter communication signaled that his beliefs did not matter within the agency, while a Buddhist employee said the messages conveyed that USDA had become a "Christian agency with Christian values." Other plaintiffs, including atheists and Pagans, said they felt pressure to hide their beliefs to avoid professional consequences.

Could “create trouble.” In the motion for a preliminary injunction, one of the plaintiffs describes her personal experience. She contends that she requested removal from distribution lists used for religious messages while continuing to receive work-related communications but was informed that opting out was not possible. She alleges she was warned that further pursuing the request could "create trouble" for her.

NFFE National President Randy Erwin said the dispute reflects broader concerns among federal workers. "We're hearing from our fellow employees across the government. Every agency feels like it's the epicenter for a new outbreak of Christian Nationalism," Erwin said. "We just want to do our jobs without having to fend off proselytizing and preaching. That's a basic American freedom, not something we should have to go to court to secure."

“Captive audience.” In the injunction motion, plaintiffs argue that Rollins's communications violate the Establishment Clause by coercing religious conformity and expressing an official preference for Christianity. They assert that the proselytizing messages are unconstitutionally coercive because they abuse the Secretary’s position of authority over a captive audience, noting that a power imbalance is at play. They contend, “Here, the Secretary’s captive audience is not one local government employee; it is the entire USDA workforce across the country.” They also contend USDA adopted a new policy of religious messaging without explanation and in contradiction of agency guidance stating that officials may not use their authority to pressure subordinates regarding religious beliefs.

The court has scheduled a hearing on the preliminary injunction request for Aug. 27 before U.S. District Judge Laurel Beeler in San Francisco. USDA has not yet filed its response to the motion.

The case is No. 3:26-cv-04406.

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