A transgender Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer has filed a federal lawsuit against the agency and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), alleging workplace discrimination after being restricted from performing certain standard screening duties under a policy implemented earlier this year.
The plaintiff, Danielle Mittereder, who works at Dulles International Airport, claims the TSA’s February 2025 directive, issued in compliance with a Trump administration executive order, bars transgender officers from conducting or observing pat-down screenings. The lawsuit, filed this week, argues the rule effectively prevents her from performing essential parts of her job, limits her ability to earn overtime, and blocks her from future promotions.
According to court filings, Mittereder had been fully trained and certified to perform pat-downs before the policy change and had received positive performance reviews. After the new rule took effect, she was classified as “limited duty,” reassigned away from passenger screenings, and excluded from key responsibilities that are required for advancement.
The Department of Homeland Security and TSA state that the rule aims to align the gender of screening officers with the gender of passengers during pat-downs. In a public statement, the agency said, “Male officers will conduct pat-down procedures on male passengers and female officers on female passengers,” noting the change was designed to “minimize passenger discomfort.”
Critics, however, argue the directive enforces sex-based segregation without valid justification and discriminates against transgender workers. Legal advocates say the policy undermines federal workplace protections and ignores the individual’s qualifications or job performance.
“There’s no evidence suggesting that transgender officers can’t perform their duties effectively,” one advocacy group representative told reporters. “This policy limits workers solely because of gender identity.”
Mittereder’s complaint also highlights the emotional and professional impact of the reassignment, describing the change as isolating and harmful to morale. The suit seeks compensatory damages and an injunction blocking enforcement of the directive, which she and her attorneys argue violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and constitutional protections against sex-based discrimination.
This case marks one of the first legal challenges to an employment policy enacted under the Trump administration’s 2025 executive orders, which rolled back several LGBTQ-inclusive workplace policies adopted during prior administrations. The TSA has not publicly commented on the pending litigation.
The outcome could influence future employment standards across federal agencies, particularly for transgender and gender-diverse employees working in public-facing or security-sensitive roles. Legal experts note that if the court finds the directive discriminatory, it could set a precedent for future challenges to similar policies in other departments.
For now, Mittereder continues to work at Dulles in a reduced capacity while awaiting the court’s response. Her case underscores ongoing tensions between executive policy changes and workplace equity protections for transgender employees within the federal system.
