A 200-page report released Thursday by the Department of Justice under President Donald Trump concludes that investigations and prosecutions carried out during the Biden administration reflected discrimination against Christians based on their faith.

The report, produced by a DOJ task force, examines enforcement decisions, internal policies, and legal actions taken during the prior administration.

It states that while religious beliefs were tolerated in private settings, federal actions often limited the ability of Christians to practice those beliefs publicly.

“The Biden Administration generally tolerated religious beliefs that were privately held but zealously pursued actions to limit Christians’ ability to act in accordance with their faith,” the report found.

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The document serves as an internal review of concerns that had been raised publicly regarding prosecutions of pro-life protesters, scrutiny of Catholic groups, and the federal government’s approach to religious objections tied to COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

The report contends that enforcement priorities consistently placed less emphasis on protecting religious liberty for Christians.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who chaired the task force responsible for the report, addressed its findings in a statement.

“No American should live in fear that the federal government will punish them for their faith,” Blanche said.

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“As our report lays out, the Biden Administration’s actions devastated the lives of many Christian Americans. That devastation ended with President Trump. The Department of Justice will continue to expose bad actors who targeted Christians and work tirelessly to restore religious liberty for all Americans of faith.”

The report highlights the treatment of federal employees seeking religious exemptions from COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

It states that employees requesting accommodations were often subjected to detailed examinations of their beliefs or faced extended processes when applying for exemptions.

“The Task Force found that during the COVID-19 period, federal agencies frequently subjected employees seeking religious accommodations to invasive scrutiny of their beliefs,” the report stated.

It added that such practices conflicted with established court precedent requiring employers to “presume sincerity” of religious beliefs.

Another major focus of the report involves enforcement of federal law related to abortion access.

The document states that the Justice Department under former Attorney General Merrick Garland prioritized protecting abortion clinics following the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

At the same time, it describes what it calls limited engagement with pregnancy resource centers that discourage abortion.

The report outlines the use of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act during that period.

It states that federal authorities pursued charges against pro-life protesters accused of blocking clinic entrances, including several elderly individuals.

Many of those defendants were later pardoned by President Trump.

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According to the report, the number of cases brought against pro-life activists exceeded enforcement actions taken against individuals targeting pregnancy resource centers or churches.

It notes that the FACE Act applies to both abortion clinics and facilities that provide alternatives to abortion.

The document also describes internal discussions within the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

It states that attorneys questioned whether pregnancy resource centers should receive the same level of protection and resources as abortion clinics under the law.

The report references prior congressional scrutiny of the Justice Department’s actions.

During a House hearing in 2023, Garland responded to allegations that the department’s policies disadvantaged Christians.

“The idea that someone with my family background would discriminate against any religion is so outrageous, so absurd,” Garland told lawmakers.

The task force report was prepared in response to an executive order issued by President Trump titled Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias.

It outlines steps taken by the Justice Department following the order, including outreach to faith-based organizations, hearings involving individuals who reported experiencing anti-Christian bias, changes in enforcement priorities, and revisions to legal interpretations tied to court precedents.

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