A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by an interfaith coalition against the Trump administration’s Religious Liberty Commission after the government released a number of documents sought by the plaintiffs.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State said Monday that the case had been filed in February by the Interfaith Alliance, Muslims for Progressive Values, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund and Hindus for Human Rights. The groups alleged that the commission violated the Federal Advisory Committee Act by withholding public records and other information connected to its activities.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York dismissed the case after the administration published transcripts, meeting minutes, witness testimony, event schedules, hearing summaries and recommendations on the Department of Justice website.
Americans United, which represented the coalition, had previously reported in May that the requested materials had been made public.
The organization described the release as a “resounding concession by the government and a significant victory for the coalition that demonstrated the necessity of challenging the administration’s unlawful actions.” It also said that “the commission agreed to make a draft report available for public comment and hold a public meeting to respond to issues raised by interested parties and members of the public.”
Trump created the Religious Liberty Commission by executive order in May 2025 and appointed 14 members to provide a range of perspectives on protecting religious freedom. The panel was directed to recommend executive and legislative measures in the United States and identify opportunities for the White House Faith Office to work with the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom abroad.
The commission’s members were authorized to serve through July 4, 2026, when the panel was scheduled to conclude its work. Late last month, it submitted a report to Trump outlining findings from seven hearings on the state of religious liberty in the United States.
The report recommended issuing guidance on the meaning of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, distributing “Know Your Rights” posters on religious liberty protections and creating religious freedom hotlines within several executive agencies. It also called for a religious liberty task force at the Justice Department and repeal of the Johnson Amendment, which restricts political endorsements by church leaders.
