CHICAGOThe federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) failed to confirm they have approved Cristina Nichole Iglesias for gender-affirming surgery by the Wednesday court-ordered deadline, suggesting that BOP has again denied her the care she needs. The decision follows a December federal court order compelling BOP to review Ms. Iglesias for surgery after years of suffering from inadequate medical care while in federal custody. In response to the decision, the following can be attributed to John Knight, director of the LGBTQ & HIV Project at the ACLU of Illinois:

“After years of fighting unnecessary hurdles and delays, Cristina has once again been denied the opportunity to get the care she needs and that the Constitution requires. The record regarding the pain and suffering that Cristina has endured is clear.

To date, no transgender person in BOP custody has ever received gender-affirming surgery. It is long past time for this continued denial of care to end.

We will carefully review the reasons offered by BOP for denying surgery for Cristina and, following consultation with her, decide on our next steps. BOP cannot simply seek to run out the clock on every transgender person in their custody and fail to provide necessary care. Such an approach is neither fair nor humane.”