SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is facing a federal lawsuit after allegedly using her official agency account to broadcast religious messages—including what plaintiffs describe as an “Easter Sermon”—to the USDA’s 100,000 employees.
The lawsuit, filed May 13 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, argues that Rollins violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The plaintiffs include the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) and seven individual USDA workers from diverse faith backgrounds, including Jewish, Buddhist, Pagan, and atheist.
The Allegations: From “Blessings” to “Sermons”
According to the complaint, the religious tone of the Secretary’s communications escalated over a 10 month period starting in July 2025. The lawsuit highlights four specific agency-wide emails:
- July 4, 2025: A message wishing for God’s “favor” to shine over the land.
- December 2025: A Christmas video stating that Jesus Christ came to “free us from our sins and open the door to eternal life.”
- April 5, 2026: An Easter message titled “He is Risen indeed!” which compared USDA staff to the “first disciples” and featured an image of a rolled-away stone.
Plaintiffs noted that the Easter email was sent during Passover, yet no official communications have been issued to recognize non-Christian holidays.
“Compelled” to Read
The employees involved say they felt forced to open the emails because the Secretary’s office frequently uses the same distribution lists to announce critical updates on agency reorganizations and relocation mandates.
The suit also details allegations of potential retaliation. One veteran employee, Lanette Dietrich, claims that when she asked to be removed from religious distributions, she was told it was impossible and warned that escalating the matter would “create trouble” for her career.
The Legal Battle
The lawsuit brings three primary charges against Rollins and the USDA:
- Violation of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause.
- Two counts under the Administrative Procedure Act, labeling the messaging policy as “arbitrary, capricious,” and contrary to constitutional rights.
In addition to seeking a permanent injunction against future proselytizing messages, the plaintiffs point to the USDA’s own November 2025 memorandum, which explicitly forbids officials from using “official authority to pressure subordinates” regarding religious beliefs.
Official Reactions
The USDA declined to comment on the specifics of the pending litigation, though a spokesperson told Agweek, “We will keep the plaintiffs in our prayers during this process.”
Secretary Rollins appeared undeterred by the filing, sharing a news report of the lawsuit on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption: “It’s just another opportunity to remind everyone: He is Risen.”
The plaintiffs are represented by Democracy Forward Foundation, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and Bryan Schwartz Law.
