Supreme Court Leaves Block on Prison Policy Ending Some Transgender Inmate Treatments

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to let the Trump administration enforce a new Bureau of Prisons policy ending certain medical treatments for transgender inmates, leaving a lower court's block in place. The unsigned, one-line order gave no explanation. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito said they would have allowed the policy. A federal district court halted the February 2026 policy in June, and a divided appeals court declined to lift that injunction in September. Solicitor General D. John Sauer filed the emergency request on Sept. 28, arguing the policy was lawfully adopted under the bureau's rulemaking authority and was needed for institutional security. Lawyers for three transgender inmates said the bureau has provided hormone treatment since 1992 and that the policy would end care for nearly 1,000 people.

Right-leaning outlets, the Washington Examiner and Daily Signal, present the order as a loss for the administration and describe the policy mainly as ending surgeries or procedures. The Examiner adds a 7-2 vote, the court history and Sauer's argument, and notes mental health care would remain. Left-leaning outlets, CBS and The New York Times, also report the block. CBS says the policy covers hormone therapy and social accommodations and cites the inmates' lawyers. The alternative source, Reason, ran only a calendar item on a 1919 case and did not report on the ruling.