Several multifaith organizations, including Interfaith Alliance, Muslims for Progressive Values, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and Hindus for Human Rights, filed a lawsuit Monday against the Trump administration, alleging that the Religious Liberty Commission discriminates against non-Christian faiths.

The plaintiffs claim the commission, composed mainly of Christians and one Orthodox Jewish rabbi, excludes representatives from Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and nonreligious Americans. Democracy Forward argued the commission “collectively represents the narrow perspective that America was founded as a ‘Judeo-Christian’ nation,” framing that as a legal problem.

The Religious Liberty Commission was established in May under the Department of Justice to safeguard and promote America’s foundational principle of religious freedom. Its mission is to advise the Faith Office and Domestic Policy Council on matters of religious liberty. White House guidance emphasizes that members come from “diverse religious and professional backgrounds,” and the commission has heard testimony from non-Christian and non-Jewish witnesses since its inception.

“The government has no right to pick and choose which religious beliefs to promote and which to marginalize,” said Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush of Interfaith Alliance. Critics of the lawsuit argue that this framing ignores the commission’s actual work, which includes protecting all Americans’ right to practice their faith without interference.

The plaintiffs also claim the commission violates the 1972 Federal Advisory Committee Act, which requires advisory panels to operate transparently and be fairly balanced. Legal analysts note, however, that the commission has consistently included diverse perspectives while advocating for religious liberty.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, comes as the commission held its fifth hearing Monday at the Museum of the Bible. The commission did not respond to requests for comment, and supporters say the lawsuit reflects an effort to undermine a body working to defend the free exercise of religion, particularly the Christian faith, in government policy.