The DOJ is on the move.
In a recent appearance on The Glenn Beck Podcast, Harmeet Dhillon, a top attorney from the Trump administration and Assistant Attorney General in the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, stated that the DOJ under new leadership has dismissed several legal actions previously brought against pro-life activists. She said these cases were filed during the Biden administration and asserted they unfairly targeted individuals engaged in peaceful prayer or protest near abortion facilities. Dhillon emphasized that the new DOJ approach would focus on only pursuing FACE Act cases involving severe violence or property destruction.
The FACE (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances) Act is designed to protect individuals entering or working at reproductive health clinics. Dhillon argued that its recent application has been one-sided, with religious Americans—particularly those praying outside abortion clinics—being unjustly targeted while attacks on pro-life organizations have largely gone unprosecuted. She noted that cases in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Ohio had already been dropped under the updated enforcement strategy.
When asked whether the FACE Act could be applied to prosecute those responsible for vandalizing or attacking pro-life pregnancy centers following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, Dhillon affirmed that the law protects those facilities as well. She referenced over 200 incidents involving violent acts against centers offering prenatal and adoption counseling, asserting that future enforcement would prioritize such cases to ensure equal protection under the law.
Dhillon also addressed broader concerns about religious liberty in the federal government. She cited accounts from federal employees describing religious discrimination, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the dismissal of military personnel who refused vaccination on religious grounds. According to Dhillon, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has taken steps to invite those service members back, reinforcing a commitment to respecting religious beliefs within federal institutions.
Throughout the interview, Dhillon maintained that the DOJ under her leadership will strongly defend religious freedom and prosecute any form of violence or intimidation aimed at people of faith. She stressed that protecting the right to worship freely is a core value enshrined in the Constitution and remains central to the department’s mission moving forward.