On Thursday, July 23rd, 2026, the Department of Justice (DOJ) under Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche issued updated guidance directing federal agencies to give greater consideration to religious liberty when developing regulations, enforcing federal law, and accommodating employees' religious beliefs. This marks the first major update to DOJ guidance on religious liberty since 2017.

The new memorandum replaces the previous guidance issued during the Trump administration's first term and incorporates nearly a decade of Supreme Court rulings that have clarified and strengthened constitutional and statutory protections for religious exercise. The updated guidance instructs executive agencies to ensure their policies comply with the First Amendment, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and recent Supreme Court decisions expanding protections for religious exercise.

Among the key changes, agencies are advised to consider religious-liberty concerns earlier in the regulatory process, accommodate religious expression in the federal workplace when legally required, and ensure religious organizations can compete for federal grants and contracts on equal footing with secular organizations.

Kelly Shackelford, president, CEO, and chief counsel of First Liberty Institute, stated, "The updated guidance will ensure that the federal government will respect the religious liberty rights of all Americans when implementing the President's policies."

The DOJ emphasized that the guidance aims to protect religious Americans in areas including employment, federal contracting, grants, rulemaking, and enforcement actions.

Sources