Federal Judge Grants Class Status To Trans People In Passport Case In Massive Win đź”—

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On Tuesday evening, a federal judge granted class certification to transgender people seeking to update the gender marker on their passports. The ruling expands a prior decision—previously limited to a handful of named plaintiffs—to now cover all transgender individuals applying for a passport or seeking to renew one with an accurate gender marker. The order took effect immediately, meaning transgender people should be able to begin submitting updated applications, though appeals could stall implementation or throw applications into chaos and thus some caution may still be warranted. Still, the ruling marks one of the most significant legal victories for transgender people under Trump’s second presidency, striking at one of the administration’s most punitive policies to date.