Illinois Attorney General Joins Lawsuit Against HHS Over Transgender Funding Policy

CHICAGO – Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and 11 other state attorneys general sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, alleging the agency is unlawfully conditioning federal health, education, and research funding on states’ compliance with a policy that discriminates against transgender people. The lawsuit claims HHS lacks authority to attach these conditions and is coercing states to violate their own anti-discrimination laws, putting ongoing programs at risk. The policy, which applies to both new and existing funding, mischaracterizes Title IX protections and could affect services including suicide prevention, HIV support, and statewide LGBTQ+ surveys. The coalition is asking the court to block the policy and allow states to continue providing health care and education without enforcing discrimination.