Judge rejects 'unprecedented' bid to block DOJ transgender health subpoenas nationwide

A Maryland federal judge rejected a novel bid to secure a nationwide order blocking the U.S. Department of Justice from forcing healthcare providers to turn over records about transgender youth who received gender-affirming care. Baltimore-based U.S. District Judge Julie Rubin blocked requests for patients' records under the administrative subpoena issued to Children’s National Hospital, calling the move oppressive. Rubin said she could not certify a nationwide class action to quash similar subpoenas at other hospitals, noting that the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure do not permit such class actions. The proposed class was brought by 11 families represented by LGBTQ rights groups, seeking protection from nationwide subpoenas. The DOJ has issued more than 20 administrative subpoenas to doctors and clinics nationwide. The case unfolds amid a broader political backdrop, including a January 2025 executive order that ended federal funding or support for gender-affirming care for transgender youth and directed the DOJ to prioritize related investigations, a context in which several district courts have quashed subpoenas.