Justice Department Sues California Under RLUIPA On Behalf of Sikh Inmate

The U.S. Department of Justice announced yesterday that it has filed a RLUIPA lawsuit against the state of California and its prison system after concluding that the state's inmate grooming policy violates the rights of a Sikh prisoner. Sukhjinder S. Basra, an inmate at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo, has been punished by prison officials for wearing a beard as required by his religious beliefs. The Justice Department says that its filing also seeks to have it participate in a lawsuit already filed on behalf of the inmate.