Federal judge blocks prison policy ending hormone treatments for transgender inmates

A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the Bureau of Prisons from enforcing a policy that ended taxpayer-funded hormone treatments and other accommodations for transgender-identifying inmates. The court ruled that prison officials likely violated federal administrative law when adopting the policy. Officials must maintain the status quo under earlier policies while the case proceeds.

Court proceedings The same day, a federal appeals court panel granted the Justice Department’s request to pause a separate order in the case. Roughly two hours later, the district judge issued an updated preliminary injunction that now governs the dispute.

The appeals court panel stated the administration was likely to succeed in defending the policy and that the district judge had likely exceeded authority by blocking it earlier.

Background and policy details The policy followed an executive order directing agencies to stop using taxpayer funds for procedures or drugs intended to help inmates conform to the opposite sex. It barred hormone regimens for new inmates, prohibited related surgeries, and required tapering off drugs for those already receiving them.

The case is one of several challenges seeking to preserve earlier policies that allowed such spending and permitted biological men to be housed in women’s facilities.