Trans Kids’ Medical Records Remain Private After Trump DOJ Loses Again

This story originally appeared on The Advocate.A federal appeals court has refused to let President Donald Trump’s administration obtain sensitive medical records belonging to transgender young people who received care in New York.The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit denied the Justice Department’s request to pause a lower court order while the government appeals. The one-sentence decision leaves in place a preliminary injunction issued July 6 by U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who had first granted a temporary restraining order in June.The ruling rebuffs an effort launched in May by federal prosecutors in the Northern District of Texas to obtain identifying information and medical records from young people who received gender-affirming care in New York City. The hospital publicly released the subpoena, which referred to gender-affirming care as “sex-rejecting procedures.” Other hospitals in New York City, including Mount Sinai, reportedly received similar subpoenas, although the nature of those demands remains unclear.The latest court win drew praise from LGBTQ+ and civil liberties groups.Related: Judge blocks Trump DOJ’s latest effort to obtain medical records of transgender minors See on Instagram “Today’s order by the court of appeals preserves the district court’s order prohibiting the government from seeking the identities and sensitive health information of transgender young people and their families who sought care in New York City. The government cannot weaponize the legal system and the use of subpoenas, whether through a grand jury or otherwise, to collect the most private medical information of transgender young people and their families, in violation of the right to privacy guaranteed by our Constitution,” said Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, senior counsel and health care strategist at Lambda Legal.“Every family should be able to make healthcare decisions without fear of political interference or exposure. While this fig