US Judge Blocks Trump Administration From Transferring Transgender Inmate To Men’s Prison
A U.S. District Judge has temporarily blocked federal prison officials from transferring a transgender woman to a men’s facility, halting a move authorized under an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump. The ruling also ensures the inmate will continue receiving gender-affirming medical care, her lawyers said Thursday.
Judge George O’Toole, an appointee of President Bill Clinton, issued the temporary restraining order on Sunday, preventing the inmate’s transfer while the case is under review. The ruling marks one of the first legal challenges to Trump’s January 20 executive order, which directed federal agencies to recognize only biological sex at birth, house transgender women in men’s prisons, and eliminate funding for gender-affirming medical care for inmates.
The lawsuit was filed under seal on Sunday by the inmate, using the pseudonym Maria Moe, with representation from GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD). The case was unsealed Thursday as a hearing was underway to determine whether the judge should grant further relief.
GLAD confirmed that the restraining order remains in effect, requiring federal prison officials to:
- Keep Moe in a women’s facility
- Maintain her gender-affirming medical care
Jennifer Levi, a GLAD attorney, called the ruling a relief, saying her client is “staying put for now” while the court considers a longer-term preliminary injunction.
Trump’s executive order, signed on his first day back in office, aims to restrict protections for transgender individuals by mandating policies that only recognize two biological sexes. Moe’s lawyers argue that this order:
- Violates the Fifth Amendment by discriminating based on sex
- Violates the Eighth Amendment by exposing Moe to a high risk of violence and abuse
- in a men’s facility
- Threatens her health by cutting off her access to hormone therapy, which she has taken since her teenage years
Moe’s case is not the only challenge to Trump’s order. Three other transgender women incarcerated in federal prisons filed a similar lawsuit Thursday in Washington, D.C., seeking to block the policy.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston declined to comment on the case.
As the legal battle unfolds, Judge O’Toole will decide whether to extend protections for Moe and potentially set a precedent for future challenges against Trump’s restrictive policies on transgender rights in the federal prison system.
