A federal judge has ruled in favor of the Trump administration in a lawsuit filed by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. The lawsuit challenged the administration's threats to withhold federal funding from schools that do not discriminate against transgender students in sports.
The ruling impacts the ongoing legal and political battles over transgender rights in schools and federal policy, potentially influencing how federal funding is used and how states can enact protections for transgender individuals.
A federal judge has ruled in favor of the Trump administration in a lawsuit initiated by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. The lawsuit was filed in response to the administration's actions and threats to withhold federal funding from Minnesota schools that do not discriminate against transgender students in sports.
Minnesota's Attorney General Keith Ellison filed the suit against President Trump and Attorney General Bondi, asserting that such discrimination violates both the Minnesota Human Rights Act and the Minnesota Constitution. These state laws have prohibited discrimination against transgender students in all school activities, including sports, since 1993, making Minnesota the first state to enact such protections.
Gender Justice, a legal advocacy group, supported Attorney General Ellison's action, emphasizing that discrimination against transgender students is illegal under Minnesota law. The organization criticized the federal government's approach, suggesting that if the administration were genuinely concerned about girls' sports, it would focus on increasing funding rather than threatening schools that uphold inclusive policies. The Minnesota High School League has maintained trans-inclusive policies for a decade, during which time Minnesota has seen high rates of girls' participation in sports.
Separately, a lawsuit filed by the ACLU and Transgender Law Center challenges a January 20 executive order from President Trump that prohibited gender-affirming medical care for transgender people in federal prisons and immigration detention centers. This policy also mandates the use of incorrect pronouns and prohibits gender-affirming clothing and commissary items for transgender individuals.