Here’s a detailed analysis of the court order from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in the case Kingdom v. Trump (Case No. 1:25-cv-691-RCL), dated June 3, 2025. You can read the full text of the order by clicking here.
The case involves transgender inmates in Bureau of Prisons (BOP) custody diagnosed with gender dysphoria. The plaintiffs challenge an Executive Order issued by President Trump on January 20, 2025, which prohibits the use of federal funds for medical treatments aimed at making an inmate’s appearance conform to the opposite sex. Following this, the BOP issued memoranda implementing this policy, cutting off or limiting access to gender-affirming care including hormone therapy and social accommodations (like clothing and hair removal devices).
Key Points from the Court Order:
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Background:
The plaintiffs are transgender inmates whose gender dysphoria had been treated by BOP with hormone therapy and social accommodations. After the Executive Order and BOP memoranda, hormone therapy was initially cut off but later restored. However, social accommodations remain unavailable. -
Legal Motions:
Plaintiffs sought preliminary injunction to halt enforcement of the Executive Order and the BOP memoranda, and class certification for all similarly situated inmates. -
Court’s Holding:
- The court grants both the motion for class certification and the preliminary injunction.
- The plaintiffs are likely to succeed on their claims under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), arguing that the BOP’s policy is arbitrary and capricious.
- The court does not rule on the constitutional (Eighth Amendment) claims at this stage, preferring to resolve matters on statutory grounds first.
- The court finds the plaintiffs face irreparable harm without relief, noting the severe psychological and physical consequences of denial of gender-affirming care.
- The balance of equities and public interest favor granting the injunction as BOP is already providing hormone therapy to many inmates, so the injunction will not impose new burdens.
- The class is certified under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(b)(2), as the policy affects all class members similarly and injunctive relief is appropriate.
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Administrative Exhaustion:
Plaintiffs were not required to exhaust BOP administrative grievance procedures before filing suit because, at the time of filing, the grievance process was effectively a dead end, with BOP refusing to provide relief due to the Executive Order. -
Final Agency Action:
The court finds the BOP’s implementing memoranda constitute final agency action subject to APA review, even though the President’s Executive Order itself is not reviewable under the APA. -
Arbitrary and Capricious Finding:
The court criticizes the BOP for failing to provide a reasoned explanation for denying gender-affirming care and for treating gender dysphoria differently from other medical conditions without justification. The Executive Order’s rationale focuses on "biological truth" and combating "gender ideology," but the court finds this rationale disconnected from the medical needs of the inmates. -
Class Certification Details:
The class includes all current and future inmates diagnosed with gender dysphoria. The court modified the proposed class to exclude those who merely "meet criteria" for diagnosis to avoid uncertainty. The named plaintiffs are adequate representatives, and the class meets numerosity, commonality, typicality, and adequacy requirements. -
President as Defendant:
The court declines to dismiss President Trump as a defendant at this stage, allowing declaratory relief claims to proceed against him.
Summary of Implications:
This ruling is a significant judicial check on the Executive Order restricting gender-affirming care in federal prisons. The court essentially finds that the BOP’s policy, as implemented, is arbitrary and capricious under the APA, and that denying medically necessary hormone therapy and social accommodations causes irreparable harm to transgender inmates. The class certification allows the case to proceed on behalf of a broad group of inmates, ensuring systemic relief rather than piecemeal cases.
The court’s decision to grant a preliminary injunction means that, for now, the BOP must continue providing hormone therapy and social accommodations to the class members as before the Executive Order took effect, pending further litigation.
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