The Department of Justice (DOJ) is supporting a Virginia church that faced punishment after a group of 16 people gathered there for a worship service - which violated Gov. Ralph Northam's order limiting social gatherings to 10 people or fewer.
In a statement released Sunday, the DOJ announced its interest and support in the Lighthouse Fellowship Church in Chincoteague, Virginia.
Attorney General William Barr wrote in the statement, "If a state or local ordinance crosses the line from an appropriate exercise of authority to stop the spread of COVID-19 into an overbearing infringement of constitutional statutory protections, the Department of Justice may have an obligation to address that overreach in federal court."
Barr also noted that whole certain retail establishments such as Walmart, Target, and grocery stores have been allowed to remain open, places like churches and libraries have been deemed "nonessential" by Northam.
Vice President Mike Pence voiced his approval for this move by the DOJ on Twitter: