UNITED SIKHS Meets with U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division to Advance Religious Liberty and Civil Rights Discussions

VMPL
Washington, DC [US], September 26: UNITED SIKHS was in Washington, DC this week to follow up on the civil and human rights discussion held during the UNITED SIKHS 2026 Annual Sikh Summit.  This week, we advocated and met with key figures in government, private practice and in Congress. 
Yesterday, in addition to sitting in the gallery with commercial drivers during the oral arguments in the DC Court of Appeals Lujan matter that addresses unfair treatment and categorical exclusion of commercial drivers by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), ICHRA met with representatives of the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, to discuss the continuing need for strong, evenhanded enforcement of federal protections for Sikh religious liberty and civil rights.
UNITED SIKHS had an opportunity to engage with the Civil Rights Division under the leadership of Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. The organization stressed that religious liberty must be meaningful in everyday life: people must be able to wear articles of faith, observe religious practices, gather for worship, operate community institutions, and participate in work and public life without discrimination, coercion and without stigma.

“Religious freedom is not an abstract principle, it is a civil right that must be protected in workplaces, schools, prisons, hospitals, public institutions, and local communities,” said Gurvinder Singh, UNITED SIKHS International Humanitarian Aid Director. “For Sikh Americans, this includes the ability to maintain our articles of faith, like the Kirpan and to worship freely, establish and use gurdwaras without discriminatory barriers, and live without fear of hate-based violence or harassment,” Gurvinder Singh added.
The discussion with DOJ CDR attorneys centered on several central components of the Division’s civil-rights agenda.  
First, the CRD underscored the importance of speaking up about civil rights within the administration, thorough investigation, and appropriate documentation of violations for prosecution of violence and threats motivated by religion, race, ethnicity, or perceived identity.   
AAG Dhillon also stated that the Civil Rights Division has jurisdiction over land-use, and federal law protects religious institutions from discriminatory or unjustifiably burdensome land-use decisions.  Enforcement of religious accommodation by public employers is also within the Division’s jurisdiction. 
In the meeting, participants discussed the value of sustained cooperation among community organizations, government agencies, and public institutions and UNITED SIKHS recognizes the importance of clear communication with the CRD and leveraging understanding of its legal authority, available enforcement tools, and statutory limitations to ensure that community members know where and how to seek help.
Gurvinder Singh emphasized that “We are in challenging times, and UNITED SIKHS will continue to work with federal, state, and local agencies to promote public education, prevent hate, improve institutional compliance, and safeguard the civil and religious rights of Sikh Americans and all people in need, regardless of creed, nationality, race, gender, ability or class.”
UNITED SIKHS believes the human race is one. 
The organization also encourages individuals who believe they have experienced religious discrimination, hate-based violence, or unlawful denial of religious accommodation to document the incident and seek assistance from UNITED SIKHS promptly by contacting: contact@unitedsikhs.org
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