In Alsonidar v. Mullin, (2d Cir., May 26, 2026), the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the US Citizenship and Immigration Services’ refusal to recognize three individuals as adopted children of Salwa Asonidar, a native of Yemen who is a lawful permanent resident of the United States. Alsonidar filed an I-130 petition seeking
Government
Children’s Minister May Not Sue Church for Wrongful Discharge
In Elmore v. Mount Vernon Baptist Church, (WV App, May 27, 2026), a West Virginia state appellate court affirmed the dismissal of a suit by the former Children’s Minister at Mount Vernon Baptist Church claiming that she was unlawfully terminated by a vote of the Board of Deacons and subsequently a vote of the…
Illinois General Assembly Spring 2026 End of Session Tracking
As the Illinois General Assembly
draws closer to concluding its 2026 spring legislative session, there are a
number of outstanding bills likely to be considered that would have a
significant impact on local governments throughout Illinois. The General
Assembly has been busy so far in the 2026 spring session passing a number of
bills that…
Federal Court Won’t Order Public School to Allow Homeschooler to Play Interscholastic Sports
In Palmer v. Virginia High School League, Inc., (WD VA, May 27, 2026), a Virginia federal district court rejected an equal protection challenge to a policy of Virginia’s public high school interscholastic sports league that prohibits homeschooled students from participating in interscholastic competitions. Plaintiffs home school their 9th grade son primarily because of their…
6th Circuit: Plaintiffs Lack Standing to Challenge Michigan’s Reproductive Rights Amendment
In Right to Life of Michigan v. Whitmer, (6th Cir., May 26, 2026), the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a Michigan district court’s conclusion that plaintiffs in the case lack standing in their suit challenging a Michigan state constitutional provision that guarantees a fundamental right to reproductive freedom. In the case, 16…
Title VI Does Not Bar Religious Discrimination
In Storms v. Carcieri, (D NJ, May 26, 2026), a New Jersey federal district court dismissed a suit which challenged a requirement by the Somerset County YMCA that in order to serve as a Board member, a board nominee must complete a 30-minute training course titled “Advancing Equity, Understanding Biases.” Plaintiff Michael Storms refused…
DOJ Sues UCLA Under Title VI for Discrimination Against Jewish and Israeli Students
Yesterday the Justice Department announced that it has filed suit against the University of California, Los Angeles, alleging that UCLA violated Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act by ignoring harassment and discrimination against Jewish and Israeli students. The complaint (full text) in United States v. Regents of the University of California,…
Certiorari Denied in Interlocutory Appeal of Church Autonomy Ruling
The Supreme Court yesterday denied review in Conference of Catholic Bishops v. O’Connell, (Docket No. 25-849, certiorari denied 5/26/2026) (Order List). Plaintiff in the case charged the USCCB with fraudulent solicitation of donations, claiming that it misrepresented where money donated to Peter’s Pence Collection would go. USCCB sought dismissal of the suit on church…
Pope Leo’s First Encyclical Addresses Governments as Well as Individuals
Yesterday, Pope Leo XIV issued his first Encyclical. The 245-paragraph document is titled Magnifica Humanitas; On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence (full text). The broad-ranging document includes a number of appeals to governmental actors. Here are some of those portions of the document:5. It now falls to us…
Tennessee Enacts Women’s Safety and Protection Act
On May 22, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed SB0468, the Women’s Safety and Protection Act (full text). The new law defines the terms “male” and “female” for purposes of any state law or administrative rule in terms of a person’s biological reproductive system. It defines the term “sex” as an individual’s biological sex…