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From Breitbart: A federal judge questioned the Trump administration about why the U.S. Department of State is only issuing passports with male and female sex markers.
U.S. District Judge Julia Kobick questioned the Department of Justice (DOJ) about “what scientific data or alternatives” were “consulted” upon prior to the Department of State issuing guidance that they would “no longer issue U.S. passports or Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBAs) with an X marker,” according to Bloomberg Law.
“You’ve got to give me something, or else I’ll assume there’s nothing,” Kobick said, according to the outlet.
Per the outlet, Kobick’s response came after “a group of transgender Americans” filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, “claiming the policy forces them to ‘out’ themselves to border officials and exposes them to potential violence while traveling”:
The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Massachusetts, and the private law firm Covington & Burlington LPP all reportedly filed a joint lawsuit against the Trump administration, President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the new ban on “gender-neutral” passports.
It is unclear when Kobick will rule on the lawsuit, but her comments give indication of which way she is leaning.
ABOUT THIS JUDGE: Federal judge Julia Kobick, 42, serves as the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. She was nominated by Joe Biden in 2022, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in November 2023. Then-Sen. Joe Manchin voted against her confirmation.
In 2017, Kobick was part of the legal team that sued the Trump administration over its rollback of the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive coverage mandate. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2022, she defended Massachusetts’ mask mandate.
During Kobick’s confirmation hearing in 2022, Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) described her as a “rare legal talent.”
At today’s Senate Judiciary Committee meeting, @SenWarren highlights the wide support for the nomination of Julia Kobick, who is currently deputy state solicitor in the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General. pic.twitter.com/pQoIJ1FdgO
— Demand Justice (@WeDemandJustice) November 30, 2022
🚨🇺🇸 JUDGE CHALLENGES TRUMP ADMIN ON TRANSGENDER PASSPORT RESTRICTIONS
A federal judge pressed the Trump administration to explain why it can lawfully deny passports reflecting the gender identities of transgender and nonbinary Americans.
Judge Kobick noted the rule could out… https://t.co/eKThj6akt0 pic.twitter.com/KK62tJRNQC
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 25, 2025
U.S. District Judge Julia Kobick demands to know why the State Dept. is only issuing passports with male and female genders.
Who wants to tell her? https://t.co/hwDcnOFamm
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) March 27, 2025
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