Federal Judge Halts Transfer of Transgender Women to Men’s Prisons, Upholds Access to Hormone Therapy Amidst Legal Challenge to Trump’s Executive Order

WASHINGTON — A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order preventing the transfer of three transgender women to male prison facilities and the cessation of their hormone therapy, following an executive order by President Donald Trump. The decision by U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth came after he heard arguments that the order discriminates against transgender individuals and infringes upon their constitutional rights.

The controversy stems from an executive order signed by Trump on January 20, mandating that the federal Bureau of Prisons classify inmates based on their biological sex at birth, effectively barring transgender women from women’s facilities. Additionally, the directive seeks to halt federal funding for medical treatments intended to facilitate gender transition.

During the proceedings, attorneys representing the inmates argued that relocating their clients to men’s prisons would subject them to increased risks of violence and psychological harm. They pointed out that Trump’s order would disrupt ongoing hormone treatments essential for managing their gender dysphoria—a condition associated with significant mental health risks, including depression and suicidal tendencies.

Judge Lamberth, who was appointed by former President Ronald Reagan, highlighted the minimal number of transgender women currently placed in female penitentiaries. He remarked that the urgency to relocate these women was negligible and emphasized that the public interest would be better served by allowing them to remain in women’s facilities.

Previously, on January 26, a similar legal challenge in Boston resulted in a restraining order concerning one transgender woman, indicating a growing judicial resistance to the executive order.

The three plaintiffs, who have been anonymized for their protection, were formerly integrated into the general population of women’s prisons but were segregated after the executive order was signed. They awaited transfer in heightened anxiety, fearing for their safety amidst potential abuse.

Legal representatives from the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders argued that Trump’s order violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution by discriminating based on gender identity. Furthermore, they contended it constituted cruel and unusual punishment.

At the hearing, a Justice Department attorney defended the administration’s position, saying that the decision on inmate placement was at the discretion of the prison authorities and that the plaintiffs had not been deprived of essential medical treatments since the order’s enactment. The final decision on their transfer has yet to be made.

This legal battle underscores the tension between recent federal directives targeting transgender rights and the constitutional protections afforded to all individuals. The courts continue to be a pivotal arena for these crucial civil rights issues.

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