The Department of Justice sued the state of Minnesota on Monday, alleging its policies on transgender athletes violate federal law by allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports and access female locker rooms.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court, claims the state’s Department of Education and the Minnesota State High School League ignored “undeniable physiological differences” between male and female athletes, putting them in violation of Title IX.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the federal government cannot stand by as states defy anti-discrimination law while accepting billions in federal funding.
“The Justice Department cannot ignore when a state brazenly defies federal antidiscrimination law,” Dhillon said, arguing Minnesota’s policies “deny female athletes their hard-earned trophies, records, dignity, and safety.”
The suit seeks a permanent injunction to halt the policies, financial compensation for affected female athletes, and five years of compliance reporting.
The DOJ is also pursuing damages, alleging Minnesota violated both Title IX and its funding agreements with federal agencies.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the case is part of a broader effort to enforce equal opportunity protections nationwide.
“This Department of Justice is proud to partner with HHS and the Department of Education to protect our girls,” she said. “This DOJ acknowledges biological reality and we refuse to let high school girls be subjected to this treatment. It’s not only unfair — it’s deeply inappropriate and dangerous,” Bondi added on X.
Today @TheJusticeDept sued the state of Minnesota for allowing boys to play in girls’ sports and use girls’ locker rooms.
This DOJ acknowledges biological reality and we refuse to let high school girls be subjected to this treatment. It’s not only unfair — it’s deeply…
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) March 30, 2026
Federal officials emphasized the scale of funding at stake. Minnesota receives roughly $3 billion annually from the Department of Education, along with tens of millions more from the Department of Health and Human Services.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the administration will not allow girls to be denied “equal opportunity and basic privacy.”
Education Secretary Linda McMahon added that the policies undermine fair competition and equal access in school athletics.
The case follows a federal probe launched last year after a transgender pitcher dominated a girls’ high school softball season in 2024, culminating in a state championship win — an incident cited as a flashpoint in the broader debate.
More over at The New York Post:
DOJ sues Minnesota for allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls' sports https://t.co/jNKc96ZAcT pic.twitter.com/MEqjUgBlOU
— New York Post (@nypost) March 30, 2026
