Federal judge halts planned move of trans inmates to facilities for their biological sex

A federal judge in the District of Columbia has issued a temporary restraining order halting the Trump administration’s plans to move transgender inmates to facilities corresponding to their biological sex. The order, issued by Reagan-appointed U.S. district court judge Royce C. Lamberth, requires that the plaintiffs’ housing status and medical care remain as they were prior to January 20, 2025.

Lamberth cited a “likelihood of success on the merits of the plaintiffs’ Eighth Amendment claim,” which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment of prisoners. However, he noted that the court takes no position on other claims made in the lawsuit, which was filed last week.

The lawsuit, Jane Doe v. Pamela Bondi, challenges President Donald Trump’s executive order, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” signed in January. The order targets transgender individuals and seeks to strip them of legal protections.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of twelve transgender women inmates, argues that transferring them to men’s facilities would put them at risk of sexual harassment, assault, and rape. The inmates would also face challenges such as being forced to shower in full view of men and having their breasts and genitalia exposed.

The executive order signed by Trump prohibits taxpayer dollars from being used for medical procedures, treatments, or drugs aimed at conforming an inmate’s appearance to that of the opposite sex. The lawsuit claims that the standard of care for treating gender dysphoria includes allowing transgender individuals to live in a gender different from their birth sex through medications, surgical care, and social transition.

This is not the first lawsuit against the Trump administration regarding its stance on transgender issues. A previous lawsuit was filed by a transgender inmate, Maria Moe, who was transferred to a men’s facility and had her sex changed in BOP records following the executive order.

As the legal battle continues, it remains to be seen how the Trump administration will respond to the temporary restraining order and the broader challenges to its policies on transgender inmates. The issue of transgender rights and protections is likely to remain a contentious and complex issue in the coming months.