We’ve all heard Donald Trump’s claims from the recent presidential debate. “Transgender operations on illegal aliens that are in prison” may sound like classic Trump word vomit, but it does carry a bit of truth to it.
Now, to say it was accurate would be misleading, but his claim comes from a survey done in 2019 from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) which was sent to all presidential candidates that year. The survey asked if the candidate would ensure that all trans people, including incarcerated and undocumented immigrants, would receive comprehensive care. At the time, Kamala Harris said she would. “I support policies ensuring that federal prisoners and detainees are able to obtain medically necessary care for gender transition, including surgical care, while incarcerated or detained,” Harris states.
ACLU attorney Chase Strangio had some strong words for the New York Times, who called it the “Wildest sounding attack line that was basically true.” While that might be so, it still greatly undermines the situation. Strangio points out that it should not be “wild” that the government provide healthcare to incarcerated people. “People in government custody die awaiting healthcare. Saying you will provide healthcare to detained people is a constitutional floor. People held in cages by the government—whether civilly or criminally detained—have a right to healthcare. Being flip about it is cruel. Mocking it is even worse,” Strangio states in an Instagram post replying to the article.
Healthcare, especially trans healthcare, is so difficult to receive in prison. In California alone, requests made by prisoners are now in the hundreds, and only last year was the first gender-affirming surgery carried out for an incarcerated person. To provide it is hardly radical, but it would be progressive for the Harris campaign. Her campaign only loosely mentions the LGBTQ+ community, and there is nothing specific noting trans individuals. While many LGBTQ+ folks do support Harris, her campaign is heavily bolstered by running mate governor Tim Walz, who has a long track record of support queer and trans youth.
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