Texas AG Appeals Judge's Ruling Halting Anti-Trans Investigation

Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton filed an appeal on Thursday following a judge's ruling that has blocked the state from investigating a trans teen's parents over gender-affirming health care she's received.

The judge's ruling did not prevent the state from investigating other families.

Paxton's appeal postpones a hearing District Judge Amy Clark Meachum had scheduled for March 11 on whether to broaden the temporary block she issued until the appeal is heard, according to the Texas Tribune.

The U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra on Wednesday said his agency is looking into ways to protect trans Texans from the state's attempts to prevent them from receiving gender-affirming care. The agency already released several steps they will take to do so.

"The Texas government's attacks against transgender youth and those who love and care for them are discriminatory and unconscionable," he said. "These actions are clearly dangerous to the health of transgender youth in Texas."

The parents of the teenager sued over the investigation after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott released a directive calling on the state's Department of Family and Protective Services to look into gender-affirming care as "child abuse." Abbott's order came after Paxton released a nonbinding legal opinion labeling such treatment as abuse.

Abbott's accusations of "child abuse" have drawn outrage from parents of transgender children, activists, businesses, and celebrities. Texas legislators last year considered a bill to this effect, but it failed to pass.

Some Texas prosecutors have already said they will not bring charges against parents.

In her ruling on Wednesday, Meachum wrote that the plaintiffs would "suffer irreparable injury" unless the investigations are stopped.

"We are relieved that -- at least for now -- the threat of a child abuse investigation is no longer hanging over the heads of the family members in this case," Paul Castillo, Lambda Legal senior counsel, in a statement following Wednesday's ruling. "It is unconscionable for DFPS to still pursue any investigation or inflict more trauma and harm. We look forward to continuing the fight for all Texas families."