Federal judge orders military to accept transgender troops at the start of the new year

“This is a complete victory for our plaintiffs and all transgender service members, who are now once again able to serve on equal terms and without the threat of being discharged.”

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A federal judge has just ruled against the Trump administration and has put forth a clarification that the military will now allow transgender people to enlist as of January 1st.

“This is a complete victory for our plaintiffs and all transgender service members, who are now once again able to serve on equal terms and without the threat of being discharged,” said NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter.

Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly had ruled that the president’s motion to ban all transgender troops from the military would not be enforced while the case was being reviewed. The US military had to continue to operate under President Obama’s “June 30, 2016 Directive-type Memorandum.”

“Any action by any of the Defendants that changes this status quo is preliminarily enjoined,” Kollar-Kotelly wrote.

The Trump administration’s order was so incompetently formulated that the privilege to make any further changes in regards to transgender people’s service cannot be trusted. His strongest legal argument had been using Rostker v. Goldberg, which had stated: “in the context of Congress’ authority over national defense and military affairs, and perhaps in no other area has the Court accorded Congress greater deference.”

Other federal judges, apart from Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, have also ruled against this new order created by President Trump. This order now goes to higher courts to be determined.

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