Trump administration seeks Supreme Court stay on gender-affirming care restrictions in federal prisons

The Trump administration filed an emergency petition with the Supreme Court asking it to pause a district judge’s order that requires continued provision of gender-affirming medical treatments to incarcerated individuals.

The petition argues that the Bureau of Prisons correctly adopted a policy, based on a prior executive order, that bars surgeries, hormone therapy and certain social accommodations for transgender inmates, while still permitting mental-health counseling.

The lower-court ruling had instructed the government to keep providing hormone therapy and other treatments, which the administration says exceeds the judge’s authority. The Supreme Court has not yet ruled on the request.

If granted, the stay would allow the Bureau of Prisons to enforce the restrictions while the broader lawsuit proceeds, potentially affecting how federal prisons fund and deliver medical care to transgender prisoners.