| Published June 25, 2025
📌 What’s happening
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The FBI has launched criminal investigations into three major U.S. children’s hospitals — Boston Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles — over allegations that they performed what federal authorities are calling “female genital mutilation” under the guise of providing gender-affirming care to minors.
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These investigations stem from a memo issued April 22, 2025, by Attorney General Pam Bondi directing the FBI and DOJ to enforce federal FGM statutes (18 U.S.C. § 116) even in cases involving gender-affirming medical procedures.
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This action follows former President Trump’s executive order of January 28, 2025, which labeled gender-affirming treatments for minors “chemical and surgical mutilation” and mandated federal enforcement agencies to act.
🏥 Hospital responses & background
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Boston Children’s continues offering puberty blockers and hormones to minors while limiting surgeries to adults and states it hasn’t received specific FBI notification.
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Children’s Hospital Colorado temporarily paused certain treatments but resumed hormone-based care after legal review, noting surgical procedures on minors had ended years earlier.
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Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has announced the closure of its Center for Transyouth Health and Development on July 22, citing legal and financial pressures.
⚖️ Legal context & implications
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The DOJ’s memo emphasizes prosecution under FGM statutes carries up to 10 years in prison per violation, and aims to treat certain gender-related surgeries as crimes.
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It also signals possible investigations under the False Claims Act or FDA violations if providers misrepresent treatments .
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A new Coalition Against Child Mutilation is being formed to coordinate with state attorneys general and propose laws allowing families to file civil suits retroactively.
🔍 Why this is a major development
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This marks a significant escalation, flexing a federal anti-FGM law—originally targeting cultural practices—to expand into the realm of gender-affirming pediatric care.
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The probes add legal uncertainty for doctors, hospitals, and transgender families. Major medical bodies support gender-affirming care as essential and evidence-based—these investigations risk depriving trans youth of critical services.
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Dozens of hospitals are now reviewing policies or pausing services, and several legal challenges are pending, contesting both the executive order and DOJ memo.
📜 Supporting points and opposing views
🔷 Supporting Points (in favor of the investigations)
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Legal basis under FGM law: Federal authorities argue that certain gender-related surgeries on minors may fall under existing federal laws banning female genital mutilation (18 U.S.C. § 116).
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Protecting minors: Advocates say children are too young to consent to life-altering medical procedures, and investigations may prevent irreversible harm.
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Executive and DOJ directives: The move aligns with recent orders by the federal government to treat gender surgeries on minors as criminal acts.
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Public accountability: The probes may reveal whether hospitals received federal funds for procedures that violate the law or public trust.
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National consistency: Sets a legal precedent that could standardize how youth gender care is treated across states.
🔻 Opposing Views (against the investigations)
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Medical consensus: Major medical organizations (e.g., AMA, AAP) support gender-affirming care as evidence-based and often life-saving.
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Criminalization of healthcare: Critics argue this turns doctors into targets and could lead to a chilling effect on medical practice.
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Trans youth at risk: Restricting or eliminating care can lead to increased mental health crises, self-harm, and suicide among trans minors.
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Legal overreach: Applying FGM laws—designed for non-consensual cultural practices—to gender care may be legally questionable.
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Erosion of parental rights: Some view it as federal interference in personal family decisions made with medical professionals.
Bottom Line:
The FBI’s investigations into three prominent children’s hospitals signal a dramatic federal shift in how gender-affirming care for minors is treated under U.S. law. By applying statutes originally intended to criminalize female genital mutilation, federal authorities are setting a precedent that could reshape medical, legal, and political landscapes nationwide. While supporters argue this protects vulnerable children, critics warn it could criminalize essential healthcare and erode parental and medical rights. As the probes unfold, the legal outcomes and public reaction will likely define the next phase of America’s intensifying debate over transgender youth care.
SOURCES: BREITBART – Nolte: FBI Investigating 3 Children’s Hospitals for Child Mutilation
FOX NEWS – FBI launches probes into 3 children’s hospitals for alleged genital mutilation of minors
