The Justice Department has submitted a statement of interest in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, siding with Muslims on Long Island (MOLI) in a lawsuit against the Town of Oyster Bay. The religious Islamic organization is claiming that their rights under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) were violated when the town denied their plan to expand their mosque. Currently, the mosque located in Bethpage, Long Island, has been accommodating the congregation since 1998, but MOLI argues that the facility requires expansion to fulfill religious needs such as prayer, education, and counseling.
The lawsuit points out that the Town of Oyster Bay's revised zoning code imposes stricter parking demands on places of worship compared to similar nonreligious venues. MOLI claims this unequal treatment breaches RLUIPA’s equal terms provision. The complaint argues that religious uses are subjected to harsher restrictions than their secular counterparts, a position supported by the Justice Department's statement of interest.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division stated, “RLUIPA prohibits local governments from imposing more onerous requirements on religious assemblies than comparable nonreligious assemblies.” Dhillon emphasized the Civil Rights Division's dedication to enforcing RLUIPA’s protections.
Proclaiming the need for equality under federal law, United States Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York commented, “Zoning regulations that unfairly restrict assemblies by faith-based groups violate federal law.”
RLUIPA, a federal law aiming to prevent undue restrictions on religious land use, encourages equal treatment for religious institutions. The Department of Justice has also provided a letter to various governmental leaders stressing their RLUIPA obligations, which include treating religious and nonreligious facilities equitably.
The case is managed by the Office’s Civil Division, led by Civil Rights Chief Michael J. Goldberger and assisted by Trial Attorneys Noah Sacks and Beth Pepper.
Citizens believing they face discrimination regarding land use and zoning decisions are advised to contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section or the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section. Comprehensive information about RLUIPA can be accessed on the Justice Department's website.
E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 25-CV-428 (SJB)