VA asks staff to report 'anti-Christian' discrimination to new task force

The Department of Veterans Affairs is investigating any incidents of anti-Christian bias within the agency

An email sent to Staff Monday asks employees to report any informal policies, procedures

or any behaviors from fellow colleagues or leadership that they feel discriminates against the Christian faith

The memo falls in line with an executive order signed by President Trump in February

ordering the secretary of the VA, among more than a dozen agency heads

to partake in the newly formed federal task force to eradicate anti-Christian bias

The order stating, My administration will not tolerate anti-Christian weaponization of government or unlawful conduct targeting Christians

The law protects the freedom of Americans and groups of Americans to practice their faith in peace

and my administration will enforce the law and protect these freedoms. My administration will

ensure that any unlawful and improper conduct, policies, or practices that target Christians

are identified terminated and rectified The email to staff from the VA Secretary Doug Collins states the task force will review instances submitted by peers of perceived anti

discrimination. The email included examples of conduct this would apply to. According to the

memo obtained by The Guardian, among other news outlets, the email said to report any examples of

adverse actions taken in response to an accommodation request, any mistreatment or

reprimand issued in response to displays of Christian imagery or symbols, any observations

of mistreatment from non-participating in events or activities inconsistent with Christian views

any adverse responses to requests for religious exemption under the previous vaccine mandates

News of the internal memo was met with criticism from some democratic lawmakers

like Senator Richard Blumenthal, who posted on X, while religious discrimination must be forbidden

and fought, this internal VA memo lacks any factual basis or rationale

It raises the specter of dividing the veteran community favoring some religions over others And the advocacy group Americans United expressed its opposition to the formation of the task force

stating this is part of the Christian nationalist crusade to remake our country, not on our watch

Americans United and our hundreds of thousands of supporters across the country

will not stop fighting for church-state separation until this nation lives up to its promise of freedom without favor and equality without exception

The order from the Trump White House to address bias and discrimination against Christians

is similar to an order from the Biden White House addressing bias and discrimination

against Muslim and Arab Americans. In its press release announcing its strategy to counter

Islamophobia and anti-Arab hate, one of its priorities is tackling discrimination against

Muslims and Arabs and appropriately accommodate their religious practices. More agencies are

making it clear that discrimination against Muslim and Arab Americans in federally funded

activities is illegal And the administration has instituted new practices to accommodate religion and produced a wide range of resources and trainings on non and religious freedom Cabinet members of the newly aligned

anti-Christian bias task force met this week for its launch and first cabinet meeting. The Trump

administration argues the task force won't favor Christianity over another religion, but rather

root out any instances of anti-Christian discrimination they say was allowed under

the previous administration. Here's what Attorney General Pam Bondi said at the meeting

The First Amendment isn't just a line in the Constitution. It's the cornerstone of our American

liberty. It guarantees every citizen the right to speak freely, worship freely, and live according

to their conscience without government interference. Protecting Christians from bias is not favoritism. It's upholding the rule of law and fulfilling the constitutional promise

The task force will dissolve after two years, unless the executive order is extended by Trump