Judge Orders Trump Administration to Restore Transgender-Related Prisoner Treatments

In a significant ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth ordered the Trump administration to restore federal prisoners’ access to transgender-related treatments and accommodations. The decision, issued in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, granted a preliminary injunction against the administration’s policy barring federal funds for sex-reassignment procedures or related medications.
The lawsuit was brought by three transgender-identifying inmates diagnosed with gender dysphoria by Bureau of Prisons (BOP) medical staff. Judge Lamberth ruled that the BOP must maintain access to treatments for those who previously received them, and any future decisions to deny such treatments must be thoroughly justified.
The judge emphasized that the BOP’s policy may violate the Administrative Procedure Act for arbitrary decision-making and potentially breach the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. While the Eighth Amendment implications were not fully adjudicated, the ruling underscores the legal constraints on the administration’s policy.
This injunction is part of a broader trend of judicial actions targeting the Trump administration, reflecting a growing effort by left-wing activists to challenge its agenda through the courts. The ruling highlights tensions between executive authority and judicial oversight in matters of public policy and prisoner rights.

Published: 6/3/2025