A federal judge in California has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from enforcing executive orders that would strip federal grant funding from programs promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) or acknowledging the existence of transgender people.
The ruling, issued Monday by U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar, comes as a major relief for LGBTQ+ organizations and health centers across the country. It ensures that, for now, critical services and educational programs that uplift transgender communities can continue without fear of losing federal support.
A Clear Rebuke of Censorship
Judge Tigar’s decision states that these funding restrictions represent “an effort to censor constitutionally protected speech and services promoting DEI and recognizing the existence of transgender individuals.” He emphasized that even when distributing federal subsidies, the executive branch “cannot weaponize Congressionally appropriated funds to single out protected communities for disfavored treatment or suppress ideas that it does not like or has deemed dangerous.”
The ruling will remain in place while the case moves forward. Government lawyers are expected to appeal.
Plaintiffs: We Can’t Abandon Our Communities
The lawsuit was filed by a coalition of health centers, LGBTQ+ service groups, and the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Historical Society. All of these organizations rely on federal funding to continue their missions. Missions that include life-saving HIV prevention services, historical preservation, and direct support for transgender individuals.
One of the plaintiffs, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, said that in 2023 it was awarded a five-year grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to expand sexual health services. The $1.3 million project focuses on communities most affected by sexual health disparities.
But in April, the CDC demanded that the foundation “immediately terminate all programs, personnel, activities, or contracts” that promote DEI or what they called “gender ideology.” For transgender people and other marginalized groups who rely on these services, the demand was chilling—and potentially life-threatening.
Trump Orders Fuel Legal Showdown
Since returning to office in January, President Trump has signed multiple executive orders rolling back transgender protections and halting DEI programs in federal agencies. Government lawyers have argued that the president is allowed to “align government funding and enforcement strategies” with his policies.
The plaintiffs disagree, saying that only Congress has the authority to set conditions on federal funds and that the orders violate fundamental free speech rights.
“These orders are a direct attack on LGBTQ+ communities and the programs that support them,” said an attorney for the plaintiffs. “We’re fighting to ensure these vital programs continue and that no one is forced to erase their identity or community to receive help.”
The Bottom Line
For transgender and LGBTQ+ organizations that rely on federal grants to operate, Judge Tigar’s order provides a vital, if temporary, reprieve. It also sends a clear message that efforts to erase trans people and DEI initiatives will not go unchallenged in the courts.
As the legal battle continues, the ruling is a reminder that even amid political attacks, the work of these organizations remains protected and deeply necessary. Trans and LGBTQ+ communities deserve programs that affirm their existence, not erase it.
