WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Justice Department has opened an investigation into California’s policy allowing transgender inmates to be housed according to gender identity, following a recent court ruling that dismissed a legal challenge to the law.
Federal officials notified Gov. Gavin Newsom that the probe will examine whether the state’s Transgender Respect, Agency, and Dignity Act violates the constitutional rights of female inmates.
The investigation will be conducted under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, which allows the federal government to review conditions in correctional facilities. Officials said they will focus on claims that the policy may create safety risks or unequal protections within women’s prisons.
The case follows a federal judge’s dismissal of a lawsuit challenging the law, ruling that plaintiffs could not sufficiently link their alleged harm directly to the statute. The law, signed in 2020, allows inmates to request placement based on gender identity.
Federal investigators are expected to review conditions at facilities including the California Institution for Women and the Central California Women’s Facility, along with a similar review in Maine.
Supporters of the law argue it protects transgender inmates, while critics contend it raises concerns about safety and privacy in correctional settings. The investigation remains ongoing.
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