A federal judge, Royce Lamberth, considered on Wednesday whether the Bureau of Prisons can implement a new policy to phase out taxpayer-funded hormone treatments for transgender federal inmates. During the hearing in Washington, Lamberth questioned the Justice Department about the policy's goal of potentially removing inmates from cross-sex hormones entirely.
Justice Department attorney M. Jared Littman stated that the policy does not constitute a categorical ban, as inmates would receive individualized tapering plans and case-by-case reviews. The hearing is part of the ongoing class-action lawsuit, Kingdom v. Trump, where transgender inmates are challenging an executive order from former President Donald Trump that restricts federal funding for surgeries and drugs related to gender transition.
Lamberth temporarily renewed an injunction blocking parts of Trump's executive order while he considers the request for an updated preliminary injunction. The litigation, supported by the American Civil Liberties Union, includes around 600 inmates diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Among those involved in the lawsuit is Oscar Contreras Aguilar, a convicted MS-13 associate.
The updated Bureau of Prisons guidelines, which restrict sex reassignment surgeries and social accommodations, require inmates currently receiving hormone therapy to taper off treatment over time. The government argues that this policy is based on a review of medical studies and prison security concerns. However, Perloff, representing the transgender inmates, contends that the policy effectively acts as a blanket ban on hormone therapies.
Lamberth indicated he would make a decision promptly but did not specify a timeline for his ruling.