Liberty Counsel

President Advances Global Religious Freedom

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- President Trump signed an executive order directing the State Department to coordinate with the U.S. Agency for International Development to ensure at least $50 million per year is allocated for programs that advance international religious freedom.

IL Lifts All Restrictions on Churches

CHICAGO, IL – Less than four hours before the deadline for Gov. J.B. Prtizker to file his response to the U.S. Supreme Court to the emergency injunction request brought by two Romanian churches, the governor unilaterally removed all restrictions on churches and houses of worship. Within a few hours yesterday after two Romanian churches filed an emergency injunction pending appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice Kavanaugh ordered Gov. Pritzker to respond by 8:00 p.m. Thursday night. Just before the deadline, Gov. Prtizker issued “guidelines” for houses of worship, none of which are mandatory.

SCOTUS Orders IL Governor to Respond Tonight

CHICAGO, IL – Yesterday, within a few hours after two Romanian churches filed an emergency injunction pending appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice Kavanaugh ordered Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker to respond by 8:00 p.m. tonight. Liberty Counsel represents Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church and Logos Baptist Ministries.

Planned Parenthood Unlawfully Takes Taxpayer Funds

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Thirty-seven affiliates of the country’s largest abortion organization unlawfully applied for and received a total of $80 million in loans from the Paycheck Protection Program.

Romanian Churches File Emergency Injunction with SCOTUS

CHICAGO, IL – Today, two Romanian churches filed an emergency injunction pending appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Liberty Counsel represents Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church and Logos Baptist Ministries.

Chicago Threatens to Close or Destroy Churches

CHICAGO, IL – Today, the Chicago Department of Public Health sent a letter to Elim Pentecostal Church and other Romanian churches in the city threatening closure and “summary abatement.” In the threatening letter, Commissioner Allison Arwady wrote: “I am authorized to seek to enjoin such nuisance or to cause the same to be summarily abated in such manner as I may direct….” The letter ended by stating that “the City will take steps necessary to abate, including Summary Abatement.”

President Trump Deems Churches “Essential”

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- During a press briefing today at the White House, President Trump deemed that churches and houses of worship are essential and that “in America, we need more prayer, not less.” The president also announced that Center for Disease Control and Prevention will issue new guidelines that will classify houses of worship as “essential.”

MS Church Wins Emergency Injunction

HOLLY HILLS, MS – The federal Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted emergency relief pending appeal to the First Pentecostal Church of Holly Hills, MS. Not long after federal District Judge Michael P. Mills issued a blistering and sarcastic opinion against the church, someone firebombed the church building and burnt it to the ground early Wednesday morning. But, in a 3-0 opinion, the Court of Appeals granted the church’s request for an emergency injunction pending appeal. The church is represented by Steve Crampton of the Thomas More Society.

City Slaps “Disorderly Conduct” Citations at Churches

CHICAGO, IL – Pastor Cristian Ionescu of Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church has received two “disorderly conduct” citations for holding a morning and an evening service last Sunday. Liberty Counsel represents Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church and Logos Baptist Ministries, which have filed a federal lawsuit against Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker for his unconstitutional executive orders discriminating against churches. Now both churches have been cited twice for holding peaceful worship services.

Chicago Thuggery Directed at Romanian Churches

CHICAGO, IL – Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has engaged in mob-like thuggery against the Romanian churches that have begun to meet in-person. Even though these churches have their own private parking, and their members don’t park on the street, the mayor ordered “No Parking” signs along the streets for nine blocks around the churches.

Judge Rules: “No Pandemic Exception to Constitution”

RALEIGH, NC -- A federal judge in North Carolina granted a statewide temporary restraining order on Saturday to block Governor Roy Cooper’s executive order that criminalizes churchgoers for attending indoor worship services of more than 10 people. In his ruling, James C. Dever III wrote, “There is no pandemic exception to the Constitution of the United States or the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.”

KY Church Mandates Removed

BULLITT COUNTY, KY – Yesterday, the federal District Court acknowledged that to the extent there are differences between its injunction issued Friday evening and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals’ injunction issued Saturday, on behalf of Maryville Baptist Church, the latter takes precedence.

Maine Church Appeals Discriminatory Orders

BANGOR, ME – Calvary Chapel of Bangor on Saturday night filed an appeal to the District Court’s denial of the temporary restraining order against Gov. Janet Mills for targeting churches and prohibiting in-person and drive-in-stay-in-your-car worship services. Today, Liberty Counsel, which represents the church, filed a motion in the District Court to issue an injunction pending appeal. If that is denied, the next step will be to file for an emergency injunction at the Court of Appeals. This is the same procedure Liberty Counsel followed in the Kentucky church case, in which that Court of Appeals granted the injunction in a 3-0 ruling for both parking lot and in-person services.

Appeals Court Gives Big Win for Churches

BULLITT COUNTY, KY – Today, in a 3-0 opinion, the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit granted an injunction for in-person church services in the case involving Maryville Baptist Church and Pastor Roberts.

Romanian Churches Sue IL Governor for Discrimination

CHICAGO, IL – Romanian churches have filed a federal lawsuit against Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker for his unconstitutional executive orders discriminating against churches by restricting in-person worship services to no more than 10 people while allowing commercial and non-religious entities to accommodate large crowds. Liberty Counsel represents Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church and Logos Baptist Ministries.

Maine Church Sues Over Discriminatory Orders

BANGOR, ME – Calvary Chapel of Bangor has filed a federal lawsuit against Gov. Janet Mills for targeting churches and prohibiting in-person and drive-in-stay-in-your-car worship services with a criminal penalty of up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine for violating her executive orders. The federal lawsuit requests an emergency order against the unconstitutional orders.

Kansas City Repeals Name Gathering Order

KANSAS CITY, MO – In his Executive Order 20-01, with an effective date of May 6, Kansas City Democrat Mayor Quinton Lucas ordered that houses of worship and some other “non-essential” operations record the names and contact information of any person who stays inside for 10 minutes or longer. The name and contact information was required so that the Kansas Department of Public Health could “quickly trace, test, and isolate individuals” if some who may have been exposed to someone who may have COVID-19 attended the “religious gatherings.”

US DOJ Supports VA Church Injunction

NORFOLK, VA – The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a Statement of Interest (SOI) and issued a press release today in support of Liberty Counsel’s request for an injunction pending appeal regarding Lighthouse Fellowship Church on Chincoteague Island.

Court Rules for Church Against KY Governor

BULLITT COUNTY, KY – Today, Liberty Counsel won an emergency injunction from a unanimous three-judge panel on the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, prohibiting the enforcement of Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear’s March 19 and 25 COVID-19 orders against church services at Maryville Baptist Church and its pastor Dr. Jack Roberts. The rare Saturday injunction protects this church services this weekend.

Churches Prepare for ReOpen Church

ORLANDO, FL – Phase One of the Trump administration guidelines for “Opening Up America Again,” which begins today, includes churches, and Liberty Counsel is calling on believers to begin the process of meeting again this weekend. The First Amendment prohibits government from prescribing the form or manner of worship, and Liberty Counsel’s attorneys have counseled hundreds of churches that will participate in ReOpen Church Sunday this weekend, or soon thereafter.