A federal court hearing in Washington, DC, on March 19, 2026, laid bare new evidence of the Biden-era FBI’s unconstitutional surveillance and labeling of traditional Catholics as potential domestic threats. Judicial Watch and CatholicVote Civic Action presented heavily redacted internal documents showing how the agency’s Richmond field office and top officials coordinated to monitor and categorize faithful Catholics who attend the Latin Mass or hold orthodox views on marriage, life, and morality.
The lawsuit, filed under the Freedom of Information Act, centers on a leaked 2023 memo that explicitly targeted “radical traditionalist” Catholics. During the hearing, attorneys revealed that senior FBI leaders reviewed and attempted to sanitize the document after its exposure, while refusing to release full records despite repeated court orders. Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton stated after the proceedings: “This is one of the most flagrant abuses of power under the Biden administration. The FBI treated devout Catholics exercising their First Amendment rights as enemies of the state. The American people deserve to see every document and hold those responsible accountable.”
The revelations confirm a disturbing pattern: federal law enforcement was weaponized against law-abiding citizens simply for their religious beliefs. The hearing exposed how the FBI relied on Southern Poverty Law Center-style labeling to justify monitoring churches and traditionalist groups, raising serious questions about religious liberty violations under the First Amendment.
This case highlights the broader leftist assault on conservative Christians during the Biden years. As new details emerge from the court battle, demands grow for a full congressional investigation and reforms to prevent future abuse. Judicial Watch and CatholicVote have vowed to continue fighting until every document is released and the American people learn the full extent of this scandal.