Yesterday three individuals and two advocacy groups filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Trump Administration's recently implemented policy on transgender individuals serving in the military. The complaint (
full text) in
Karnoski v. Trump, (WD WA, filed 8/28/2017) summarizes the lawsuit:
5. In the evening of Friday, August 25, 2017, President Trump followed up on his tweets and implemented an official federal policy of discrimination against transgender individuals in military service .... Among other things, President Trump has mandated that the U.S. military return to its earlier policy and practice of discrimination against transgender people, including by discharging them. He has also maintained and extended the current bar on accession into the military of individuals known to be transgender.... Last, he has singled out for adverse treatment the health care needs of transgender service members.
6. Dripping with animus, the Ban and the current accessions bar violate the equal protection and due process guarantees of the Fifth Amendment and the free speech guarantee of the First Amendment. They are unsupported by any compelling, important, or even rational justification.
Lambda Legal
announced the filing of the lawsuit.
