DOJ probes Calif. and Maine over transgender housing policies in women’s prisons amid rise in rape reports
OAN Staff Katherine Mosack and Brooke Mallory
6:33 PM – Thursday, March 26, 2026
The Trump administration has launched federal investigations into California and Maine following allegations of sexual assault and violent harassment linked to policies that house biological males with gender dysphoria in female correctional facilities.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Thursday that it is probing whether the presence of biological males in women’s prisons violates the constitutional rights of female inmates, specifically citing reports of rape and a case of pregnancy resulting from these placements.
Governors Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) and Janet Mills (D-Maine) were officially notified of the investigation, which aims to determine if these state-level housing mandates infringe upon the 8th and 14th Amendment protections afforded to the female prison population.
“The Justice Department will investigate whether California engages in a pattern or practice of violating the constitutional rights of female prisoners incarcerated at the California Institution for Women (CIW) in San Bernardino County and the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) in Madera County,” the statement read. “The Justice Department also will investigate whether Maine similarly engages in a pattern or practice of violating constitutional rights of women incarcerated at Maine Correctional Center in Windham (MCC Windham).”
https://www.oann.com/newsroom/doj-probes-calif-and-maine-over-transgender-housing-policies-in-womens-prisons-amid-rise-in-rape-reports/
