The Trump administration has been systematically rolling back LGBTQ rights since the president’s reelection. Over the past four and a half months, key federal agencies have implemented policies that have significantly impacted the queer and trans community. While some of these policies have been blocked by federal judges, the administration has often ignored court orders.
From immigration policies to education and healthcare, the administration’s actions have sparked widespread controversy and legal challenges. Here’s a detailed look at the key developments in 2026.
Immigration and Asylum Policies
In late January, the Trump administration began advancing immigration policies that put LGBTQ asylum seekers at risk. One agreement allowed U.S. immigration officials to send third-country asylum seekers to Uganda, where gay sex is punishable by death in certain circumstances. Additionally, the administration deported a Moroccan lesbian asylum seeker to Cameroon, where same-sex conduct can result in up to five years in prison. She was then sent back to Morocco, where she now lives in fear.
Legal Actions and Policy Changes
The National Park Service removed the Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument in February, following a memo that restricted certain flags. This move prompted three civil rights organizations to sue the administration, arguing that the removal violated federal law.
The Bureau of Prisons issued a new policy in February that banned gender-affirming care for trans prisoners. This policy required incarcerated trans people to stop hormone therapies and prohibited new treatments. Despite a federal judge’s injunction requiring the Bureau to continue providing gender-affirming accommodations, an investigation found that the Bureau had been violating the order for months.
In March, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights concluded that Jefferson County Public Schools in Colorado violated Title IX by allowing transgender students to play on sports teams and use facilities aligned with their gender identity. The school district rejected these threats and disputed the findings, stating that providing equal access to all students does not violate Title IX.
Healthcare and Education
The Trump administration implemented $600 million in cuts to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grants for STD prevention and HIV surveillance programs. Public health funding in several states, including California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota, was impacted.
The Department of State released a new rule requiring visa applicants to disclose their assigned sex at birth. Advocates warned that this change would impact trans and nonbinary people’s ability to travel to the U.S.
A federal judge in Oregon ruled that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. overstepped his authority with a declaration that barred federal funding for state-run hospitals providing gender-affirming care to minors. The judge stated that the case spoke to broader tactics that threatened to undermine democracy.
The Department of Justice opened an investigation into the Los Angeles Unified School District, driven by a lawsuit filed by parents who claimed the district’s gender-inclusive policies contributed to their child’s isolation and suicide. The policy aimed to protect children from potentially abusive or non-affirming parents by allowing schools to withhold information about a student’s gender identity.
On Transgender Day of Visibility, the White House released a statement attacking former President Biden for releasing a TDOV message two years prior. The statement praised Trump for targeting ‘gender ideology’ and claimed that the era of government-sanctioned delusion was over.
The Federal Communications Commission requested public comments on whether to place warning labels on television shows that include LGBTQ characters, stories, or themes. The DOJ’s Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias released a report stating that a Biden-era rule surrounding foster care and LGBTQ children was discriminatory.
The OCR opened a Title IX investigation into Smith College for admitting trans women, claiming that an all-girls college enrolling male students professing a female identity would cease to qualify as single-sex under Title IX.
The White House released a new National Counterterrorism Strategy that falsely linked transgender people to extremism and ignored the threat of white supremacists and far-right terrorists. The strategy delineated three major types of terror groups, including ‘violent left-wing extremists, including anarchists and anti-fascists.’
A federal judge granted preliminary injunctions halting the Federal Trade Commission’s attempt to investigate the Endocrine Society and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. The judge ruled that there was extensive evidence of animus and that the investigations were likely viewpoint-based harassment.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Texas issued a subpoena to NYU Langone, demanding information on recipients under the age of 18 who received gender-affirming care since 2026. Texas Children’s Hospital agreed to cease all gender-affirming care for minors and pay over $10 million in damages and civil penalties, establishing a clinic dedicated to restorative care for detransitioners.
