MILWAUKEE — The Department of Veterans Affairs has established a new "Anti-Christian Bias Task Force" following an executive order signed by President Trump in February aimed at "eradicating anti-Christian bias."
All VA employees received an email Tuesday from Secretary of Veterans Affairs Douglas Collins announcing the creation of the task force. The directive requests employees to report any instances of discrimination against Christians in the workplace, including names, dates, and locations.
The task force is the latest in a series of changes at the VA, where employees have been sharing concerns about federal workplace changes as job cuts loom over the agency.
Watch: VA creates 'Anti-Christian Bias Task Force' following Trump executive order
"The separation of Church and State is the only guarantee for true religious freedom. It is the bedrock of our democracy. It is what allows us to come together as equals, regardless of what we believe or how we worship," said Andrew Seidel, an attorney working with Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Seidel argued that creating a task force for one specific religion does not promote religious freedom.
"There are already plenty of laws in place that protect religious freedom, including our constitution. This task force is not a response to Christian persecution. It's an attempt to make America into an ultra-conservative Christian nation," Seidel said.
In the executive order, Trump writes that its purpose is "to protect the religious freedoms of Americans and end the anti-Christian weaponization of government," claiming the previous administration "engaged in a pattern of targeting peaceful Christians."
Seidel and his organization disagree with this characterization.
"We expect this task force is going to misuse religious freedom, to justify bigotry, discrimination, and the subversion of our civil rights laws," Seidel said.
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