Amandeep Sidhu Comments on D.C. Circuit Ruling to Allow Sikh Marine Recruits to Keep Religious Articles at Basic Training

Winston & Strawn Partner Amandeep Sidhu recently commented on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia’s decision to grant a reliminary injunction to immediately allow two Sikh men to begin serving in the U.S. Marine Corps without having to abandon their articles of faith, including uncut hair and beards, turbans, and other elements of the Sikh uniform. 

In April 2022 a Winston team serving as co-counsel with the Sikh Coalition, Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, and BakerHostetler, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Marine Corps on behalf of four clients, Capt. Sukhbir Singh Toor, Milaap Singh Chahal, Aekash Singh, and Jaskirat Singh. This ruling allows Chahal and Jaskirat Singh to begin Marine Corps recruit training with their religious articles intact. Since Aekash Singh has decided to attend officer candidate school instead of enlisted recruit training, the court ordered his case to be reconsidered by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. 

“Today’s injunction is a step forward in the direction of other recent policy changes in the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force that have allowed more than 100 Sikhs to serve with their articles of faith,” Amandeep said. “Now, we must look towards a comprehensive policy change in the U.S. Marine Corps that will make full equality of opportunity in that branch a reality for all Americans, regardless of their faith tradition.”

Read the Sikh Coalition’s press release.

Read the PBS coverage here.

Read The National Law Journal coverage here.