Federal Employees Sue USDA Secretary Rollins Over Religious Holiday Emails

Federal employees have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Secretary Brooke Rollins. They accuse the Trump administration official of Christian proselytizing through department emails sent on Christmas and Easter that contained religious messages.

The National Federation of Federal Employees and seven USDA workers brought the complaint. It charges Rollins with sending increasingly proselytizing communications to the entire USDA workforce since she became head of the agency in February 2025. The messages promote her preferred brand of Christian beliefs and theology to employees who report to her.

Plaintiffs say Rollins sent emails to all USDA staff on national and religious holidays. The most overt example came on Easter. That message stated, in part, "Happy Easter – He is Risen indeed! Today we celebrate the greatest story ever told, the foundation of our faith, and the abiding hope of all mankind." The email included a drawing of an empty tomb with the words "Christ is Risen," according to the complaint.

This Easter email fit a broader pattern of religious messages on other holidays, the complaint alleges. It began with a July 4 email that included the line, "May God continue to protect the United States of America and may His favor shine over all her land."

Rollins also sent a video message before Christmas that referred to Jesus as "our Savior," the complaint states.

The plaintiffs include employees of various faith backgrounds and nonreligious workers. They argue the emails amount to coercion, religious sermonizing and denominational preference. This leaves them feeling excluded and unwelcome in the workplace.

"Notwithstanding that fear of retaliation, Plaintiffs from across the agency together bring this action to vindicate their constitutional right to be free from the government imposition of religion and to stop the Secretary from further pressuring and intimidating them — and other USDA employees who may be afraid to come forward," the complaint reads.

The suit claims the emails represent an ongoing practice and policy that violates the First Amendment's Establishment Clause and the Administrative Procedure Act. Plaintiffs ask the court to declare these proselytizing religious communications unlawful and to bar Rollins or other USDA officials from sending similar messages.

The complaint was filed May 13 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Democracy Forward and Bryan Schwartz Law, P.C., represent the union and employees. Rollins and the USDA are the defendants.

A USDA spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "While we do not comment on pending litigation, we will keep the plaintiffs in our prayers during this process."