Washington Attorney General files suit seeking restraining order against presidential ban on gender-affirming care

SEATTLE — Washington Attorney General Brown said his office filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday seeking a temporary restraining order to stop a presidential executive order that the office says "attempts to criminalize gender affirming care for young people." The complaint, Brown said, is joined by the states of Oregon and Minnesota and by three individual plaintiffs who are doctors representing themselves and the young patients they treat.

Brown told reporters the complaint lays out three legal bases for the challenge: that the order violates the Fifth Amendment's equal protection guarantee by singling out transgender youth, that it infringes the Tenth Amendment by attempting to regulate medical practice in Washington, and that it upsets the separation of powers by threatening to withhold federally authorized research and education funding. "It's blatantly unconstitutional," he said, urging the court for immediate relief.

The attorney general said his office is requesting a temporary restraining order because the order "poses an immediate threat to young people all across Washington state and to the medical professionals in Washington who provide much needed health care." He added that the TRO filing includes more than 100 declarations from patients and providers, including from Seattle Children's Hospital, explaining the harms and the need for court intervention.

Two witnesses spoke at the event. Luna Cramberon, 19, introduced herself as a transgender woman and a University of Washington student and said gender-affirming care "saved my life"; she warned that "this order will kill trans children" if it is not blocked. Jessica Bridal, who identified herself as a public school educator and the mother of a trans daughter named Indigo, described her child's transition and said denying minors gender-affirming care means "we are saying that it is okay for children to die."

During a question-and-answer session, reporters pressed Brown for supporting data. He said detailed legal analysis is in the complaint and that his office would provide estimates about how many transgender people and affected hospitals are in the state after the event; "I don't have those numbers," he said. On hospitals' immediate response, Brown said providers have faced threats of criminal prosecution and funding loss and that some hospitals have canceled surgeries as they weigh risk, which the office seeks to alleviate via the TRO.

Brown emphasized that states will evaluate and respond under their own laws, noting that the office has been coordinating with other attorneys general about possible legal action. He also said the civil rights division has been "flooded with requests" for assistance and that the office can provide information and public attention but cannot give legal advice to non-state organizations.

The lawsuit is filed in federal court; court action on the requested temporary restraining order is pending. Brown closed the press conference by thanking witnesses, staff and supportive state officials and saying the office will continue work to defend the affected community.