Justice Department to House Male Inmates in Texas Segregated Unit After Court Blocks Transfer to Men’s Prisons

The Justice Department intends to move all biological male inmates currently housed at women’s prisons across the country into a specialized unit at Federal Medical Center-Carswell in Texas, Washington Examiner reported. Government attorneys on behalf of the Federal Bureau of Prisons filed a notice of anticipated transfer in Jane Doe v.

Blanche informing the court of plans to place the transgender litigants in a secure, segregated wing.

Four of the Jane Doe plaintiffs are already at FMC Carswell and were moved to the special cellblock under the Fleming order. U.S. District Judge Sidney Fitzwater approved the unit that cordons off the male inmates and requires separate showering schedules to prevent overlap with female inmates.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth issued a preliminary injunction in Jane Doe v. Blanche that blocks reassignment of the 14 biological male plaintiffs to men’s facilities. Lamberth’s June 7 order states that it does not require the plaintiffs to be housed alongside cisgender female inmates or share common spaces.

The male litigants filed an emergency motion to enforce the injunction, arguing it requires the Bureau of Prisons to maintain their housing in women’s facilities. They attached declarations alleging severe and escalating harm, including resurgent gender dysphoria, loss of clinical progress, deteriorating mental health, and resurgence of suicidal ideation in at least one plaintiff.

The plaintiffs asked the court to prevent remaining transfers, order the return of the four inmates to general population at other women’s prisons, or restore out-of-unit movement.