In a final judgment on Saturday, U.S. District Judge Mustafa T. Kasubhai vacated the so-called Kennedy Declaration, issued by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The court found the policy exceeded federal authority, violated rulemaking requirements, and conflicted with existing law.
The court held that federal officials lack the authority to unilaterally establish standards of care and cannot penalize providers offering treatment aligned with accepted medical guidelines. The ruling permanently blocks enforcement in plaintiff states and orders agencies to notify officials within seven days. The lawsuit was led by Oregon, including California, New York, and Washington, among others. In a sharply worded opinion, Kasubhai wrote, “Unserious leaders are unsafe…This case highlights a leader’s unserious regard for the rule of law,” warning such actions “causes very real harm to very real people.”
The case stems from a December 2025 directive declaring gender-affirming care for minors neither safe nor effective, threatening providers with loss of federal funding. The Trump administration is expected to appeal the ruling.
