Lambda Legal announced Thursday that it will represent nine LGBTQ+ health and HIV organizations in a lawsuit against the Trump Administration over its three Executive Orders targeting transgender people and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The plaintiffs assert that these orders have harmed their ability to provide services to marginalized communities.

The plaintiffs filed the lawsuit after the Trump administration sent federal agencies notices to terminate any funding to organizations serving transgender people and entities they deemed as “equity-related.” The agencies issued these notices after President Donald Trump signed orders for the termination of DEI programs and “equity-related” grants along with his declaration that the government does not recognize transgender people. 

Related

Pete Buttigieg explains how Dems can counter Trump’s chaos in just 16 words
Voters wanted Trump to radically change the government. But, Buttigieg offers a better vision of what Democrats can provide.

The lawsuit, which included the San Francisco AIDS Foundation among its plaintiffs, was filed in the District Court of Northern California. The case argues that Trump’s orders violate constitutional rights and punish organizations that provide essential services for marginalized groups. Lambda asked that the courts temporarily block enforcement of these orders as litigation continues.

Stay connected to your community

Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

One of the plaintiffs negatively affected by the Trump Administration’s actions is Prisma Community Care in Phoenix, Arizona, a non-profit organization provides reproductive health care to thousands in Maricopa County. The organization’s CEO Jessyca Leach stated that they briefly considered closing in late January after the CDC informed them that funds had been terminated in compliance with Trump’s executive order, according to The Hill.

During that time, Leach reportedly had to lay off three employees and cut the salaries of her leadership team, including her own.

Although federal courts eventually blocked the funding freeze and reinstated Prisma’s funding, Leach faced further challenges. The payment processing arm of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sent her a notice indicating that the Trump administration would not back down. The HHS wrote that “executive orders regarding potentially unallowable grant payments” would force the department to continue “taking additional measures to process payments” that would “result in delays and/or rejections of payments.”

Leach said, “Right now is devastating, but when you start tracing how far organizations like mine reach, I don’t even know how to quantify it. By trying to take organizations like mine down with these executive orders, you are not just taking us down, you are taking down a large swath of the population.”

Also included in the lawsuit’s plaintiffs was the NYC LGBT Community Center, an organization established during the early years of New York City’s AIDS epidemic. The Center has served the community for over four decades.

Dr. Carla Smith, the current CEO of the center, shared her thoughts said, “The NYC LGBT Community Center has been a lifeline for the entire LGBTQ+ community for 42 years, especially those who face systemic barriers to safety, healthcare, community connections, and opportunity.”

“We joined this lawsuit because these executive orders threaten the vital services we provide to one of the nation’s largest and most diverse LGBTQ+ communities and are an affront to us all,” she continued. “We will not allow the erasure of transgender people. The Center is clear: We will fight to ensure every transgender person and every member of our community knows they are seen, valued, and supported.”

This case marks the second time Lambda has sued Trump over his anti-DEI policies. In 2020, Lambda Legal sued the Trump Administration challenging a similar order that blocked federal contractors from conducting workplace diversity training in a case known as The Diversity Center V. Trump. Lambda Legal won this case and succeeded in blocking Trump’s order.

Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.