Legal Ruling and Policy Details
U.S. District Judge expanded a preliminary injunction against the administration's passport policy, allowing transgender and nonbinary individuals to select male, female, or "X" markers on their passports. This ruling applies to those without a passport, whose passports are expiring, or need to apply for reasons like loss, theft, or name/sex designation changes.
The policy, criticized for its narrow definition of sex, was challenged by the , which argued it violated the constitutional rights to equal protection. The judge noted the government's failure to prove the policy's necessity for an important governmental interest.
Government's Stance and Public Impact
The Trump administration defended the policy, claiming it did not violate equal protection guarantees and asserted the president's broad discretion in setting passport policy. The administration argued that plaintiffs were not harmed as they could still travel abroad.
The ACLU highlighted personal stories of distress, such as individuals receiving passports with incorrect gender markers and others fearing repercussions for submitting their passports, affecting their ability to travel for important events.