The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a new civil rights investigation into Washington state’s policy for housing transgender inmates, escalating a growing federal campaign targeting transgender prison protections across the country.
According to reporting, the DOJ notified Washington officials this week that it is examining whether the state’s policies violate the constitutional rights of incarcerated women by allowing transgender women to be housed in women’s correctional facilities.
The investigation specifically focuses on the Washington State Department of Corrections and the Washington Corrections Center for Women, a women’s prison that has become a focal point in national political debates over transgender incarceration policies.
Federal officials argue they are reviewing whether female prisoners are being exposed to unconstitutional safety risks. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon previously framed similar investigations in California and Maine as part of a broader effort to stop what the DOJ has called the “dangerous” placement of “biological men” in women’s prisons.
Washington officials and civil rights groups strongly pushed back against the investigation.
In a statement responding to the probe, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington argued that transgender inmates are among the populations most vulnerable to violence in prison settings and that housing decisions are already made through individualized assessments.
Washington’s transgender housing policy does not automatically place inmates based solely on gender identity. Instead, corrections staff evaluate multiple factors, including safety concerns, medical needs, criminal history, and vulnerability to abuse. Similar policies have existed in multiple states and are partially shaped by standards connected to the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act, commonly known as PREA.
The investigation comes amid a wider rollback of transgender protections under the Trump administration. Earlier this year, the Federal Bureau of Prisons implemented new restrictions limiting gender-affirming care for transgender inmates and moved to reduce recognition of gender identity within federal prison systems.
The DOJ has also opened similar investigations into prison systems in California and Maine, signaling a coordinated national strategy around transgender incarceration policies.
Advocates warn that policies forcing transgender women into men’s prisons can dramatically increase risks of harassment, assault, and psychological harm. Federal courts have previously recognized gender dysphoria as a serious medical condition requiring constitutional protections in correctional settings.
The Washington investigation remains in its early stages, and no findings or enforcement actions have yet been announced.
