Supreme Court rejects Trump prison policy

The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected an emergency application from the Trump administration seeking to block a lower court injunction against a policy restricting transgender inmate care.

About one thousand transgender inmates affected

There are about one thousand transgender inmates in federal custody who would be affected by the policy the administration sought to enforce.

Policy tied to Trump executive order

The policy is part of President Donald Trump's broader effort to roll back moves to expand transgender rights, announced in line with his January two thousand twenty-five executive order.

Court split two to one on the issue

Only two conservative justices, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, would have granted the administration's emergency application. The court order included no explanation.

Bureau of Prisons restrictions announced

Over the last eighteen months, the Bureau of Prisons announced it will not provide gender transition surgery, hormone treatments or social accommodations such as wigs, padding or makeup.

Judge finds no evidence for change

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth blocked the policy, concluding the Bureau of Prisons failed to consider the merits of its past treatment and provided zero evidence from its own professionals to support its conclusions.

“Despite providing gender-affirming care to inmates in its custody for years, the government cites in the Program Statement zero evidence from its own medical or mental health professionals to support its conclusions.”

Judge finds policy was pretextual

Lamberth, a Reagan appointee, found the proposal appeared engineered precisely to comply with the president's executive order, concluding the reasons given were pretextual.

Appeals court also rejected administration

In September, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected a Trump administration request seeking to block the judge's final decision, with the panel split two to one.

Rare Supreme Court win for advocates

The case marks a rare recent win for transgender advocates at the Supreme Court, which has a six to three conservative majority and has previously backed restrictions on transgender rights.