Resource: Religious Prisoners Deprived of Halal and Kosher Food

In 2016 the ACLU of Michigan and the MSU Civil Rights Clinic agreed to represent a Jewish prisoner who was challenging the denial of a kosher diet as a violation of his religious freedom. In 2018 Judge Linda Parker denied MDOC’s motion to dismiss, and in January 2020 approved a settlement agreement in which MDOC is required to provide certified kosher meals to Jewish prisoners who request them. Additional disputes have arisen regarding MDOC’s compliance with the settlement agreement, but in March 2021 the court denied further relief.