WA's transgender prisoner policy is target of new federal investigation
The Trump administration on Tuesday launched an investigation into Washington state’s practice of housing transgender women in its women’s prison.
In a letter to Gov. Bob Ferguson, the U.S. Department of Justice cited allegations that the Washington Corrections Center for Women in Gig Harbor has “failed to protect female prisoners from sexual and physical violence, harassment, voyeurism, and intimidation from male prisoners who identify as female.”
The Justice Department argued this could violate the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution’s protections against cruel and unusual punishment. Washington’s state constitution also prohibits cruel conditions specifically for prisoners.
A state Department of Corrections spokesperson said the agency was notified of the investigation Tuesday morning and plans to cooperate with the Department of Justice.
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/05/19/was-transgender-prison-policy-is-target-of-new-federal-investigation/