A federal judge in Manhattan has ordered the Justice Department to cease its efforts to obtain sensitive medical information about transgender youth who have received transition-related care at New York City hospitals. This decision marks a significant barrier to the ongoing investigations initiated by the Trump administration into such medical practices.

The Justice Department had been inquiring into the practices at hospitals like NYU Langone, a prominent Manhattan medical system, which had been subpoenaed to provide identifying details and medical records of adolescent patients who received gender transition care. This request targeted records spanning a six-year period.

Handled by Judge Katherine Polk Failla of the Federal District Court in Manhattan, the ruling highlights concerns about privacy intrusions. In a conference call with attorneys, Judge Failla expressed distress over the expansive nature of the grand jury subpoena issued to NYU Langone. She emphasized the expectation of privacy held by patients seeking gender affirming treatments.

“Because I cannot conceive of a crime that would require the breadth of disclosure sought in the subpoena — sensitive medical information for an entire class of people for a six-year period — I have to find that the government’s interest does not outweigh the plaintiffs’ interest in privacy,” said Judge Failla.

Judge Failla noted that without intervention, the consequences could be severe. The subpoena, if not blocked, would allow access to the most intimate details of the youth’s medical histories and personal lives, especially regarding their transgender status.