Americans United yesterday released a letter (full text) that it has sent to Attorney General Eric Holder challenging nine separate Juvenile Justice and Byrne Law Enforcement Assistance grants that were funded by the Department of Justice through Congressional earmarks in fiscal 2008.

The letter asks that five of the grants—involving drug prevention and at-risk youths—be terminated. It asks that four others—involving transitional housing, juvenile offenders, at-risk youth and funding of a medical building also housing a college chapel—either be terminated or modified to include appropriate safeguards.