The FBI has launched a criminal probe into three children’s hospitals for allegedly practicing “female mutilation,” which would be in defiance of federal statute.
The FBI has launched a criminal probe into three children's hospitals for allegedly practicing "female mutilation," which would be in defiance of federal statute, sources told Fox News. The hospitals under investigation, which are among the most prominent providers of child sex change procedures, include Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Boston Children's Hospital, and Children's Hospital Colorado.
The federal probe, under FBI Director Kash Patel's leadership, comes after Attorney General Pam Bondi asserted that the Trump administration was committed to enforcing federal statutes against female mutilation in order to protect children from permanent sex change surgeries.
Attorney General Pam Bondi was assigned the responsibility of revising the Justice Department's enforcement of the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) law and prioritizing enforcement in response to President Trump's executive order, titled "Protecting children from chemical and surgical mutilation." In April, Bondi issued a memo to US attorneys encouraging them to conduct such investigations. She stated at the time that the act of performing FGM is a felony punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison per count.
Earlier this month, the FBI signaled that investigations were underway. The agency urged members of the public to submit tips about any healthcare facilities or practitioners who may be violating the nation's laws by providing sex change surgeries for minors. The FBI referred to such procedures as "mutilation" under the guise of "gender-affirming care," and vowed to take enforcement action.
In response to the Trump administration's emphasis on prohibiting irreversible transgender medical procedures for minors, a number of institutions have revised their policies regarding the eligibility of patients for sex change surgeries and treatments.
The Center for Transyouth Health and Development at Children's Hospital Los Angeles announced earlier this month that it would be permanently closing come July 22, 2025. CBS News reported that the decision was made due to "substantial operational, legal, and financial risks that have arisen from the evolving policy landscape at both the state and federal levels."
Children's Hospital Colorado had previously suspended its transgender medical procedures for patients under the age of 19 in response to Trump's executive order; however, the hospital reversed its decision after a judge's ruling that blocked the EO. The hospital announced it would continue providing puberty blockers and hormone treatments to minors as a result.
Additionally, Fox News reported that Boston Children's Hospital still operates its Gender Multispecialty Service (GeMS) program, which offers gender transition treatments, such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy, to individuals under the age of 18.
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