Federal law enforcement is intensifying efforts to enforce a national ban on s*x change surgeries for minors.
The FBI issued a public appeal this week, encouraging Americans to report healthcare facilities or professionals suspected of performing such procedures as part of a broader strategy to crack down on what the administration now deems illegal medical practices.
“Help the FBI protect children,” the agency posted on X. “As the Attorney General has made clear, we will protect our children and hold accountable those who mutilate them under the guise of gender-affirming care.”
The post included a phone number and web portal for submitting tips about hospitals, clinics or practitioners believed to be involved in these surgeries.
The move comes in the wake of an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in January.
The order, titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” bans federal support, funding, or promotion of any medical intervention designed to change the sex of a person under 19 years old.
The directive marked a significant shift in federal health policy, placing new restrictions on healthcare providers nationwide.
“The United States will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another,” the order states.
This prohibition covers both surgical and chemical procedures, including hormone therapy and puberty blockers when applied to minors.
Attorney General Pam Bondi expressed full support for the policy in an April Department of Justice memo.
In it, she made clear the DOJ would pursue legal consequences against individuals or institutions involved in performing or facilitating “gender transition” surgeries for minors.
“The Department of Justice will not sit idly by while doctors, motivated by ideology, profits, or both, exploit and mutilate our children,” Bondi stated. “Under my watch, the Department will act decisively to protect our children and hold accountable those who mutilate them under the guise of care.”
In addition to legal enforcement, the order also authorizes the withdrawal of federal funds from healthcare facilities that continue offering such treatments to individuals under 19.
The Post Millennial reported that this provision could impact public hospitals, university medical centers and other federally supported clinics.
Not all states are in alignment with the federal mandate.
Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown has initiated a multi-state legal challenge, claiming that the executive order violates the Fifth Amendment and unconstitutionally limits access to medical care for transgender-identifying youth.
International developments have influenced the U.S. approach.
Countries such as the United Kingdom have enacted bans on child s*x reassignment surgeries in response to scientific findings that point to long-term physical and psychological harm.
These global moves have bolstered calls for caution and more regulation within the U.S. healthcare system, according to TPM.
The FBI’s public outreach reflects the administration’s strategy of involving citizens in the enforcement process.
Federal officials say community reporting will help identify violations and support broader efforts to uphold the national ban.
As enforcement expands, both the DOJ and the FBI remain positioned to prosecute individuals and organizations that fail to comply with the law.
