A federal judge in Rhode Island has blocked the Department of Justice's attempt to obtain confidential medical records of transgender patients from the state's largest hospital that provides gender-affirming care to minors.

US District Judge Mary McElroy issued the ruling on Wednesday, preventing the DOJ from accessing sensitive patient information including birthdates, social security numbers, and addresses of individuals who received gender-affirming treatment at the facility.

The decision represents the latest legal setback for the Justice Department's efforts to collect transgender patient data. At least seven other federal courts have agreed to quash or limit similar civil subpoenas that were sent to more than 20 doctors and hospitals across the country last summer.

The subpoenas were part of a broader DOJ initiative that began under the Trump administration to investigate medical providers offering gender-affirming care to transgender minors. The Justice Department has not publicly detailed the specific reasons for seeking this patient information.

Medical privacy advocates and healthcare providers have challenged these subpoenas in multiple jurisdictions, arguing they violate patient confidentiality protections and could have a chilling effect on healthcare access for transgender individuals.

The Rhode Island ruling adds to a growing number of court decisions that have either blocked or significantly limited the scope of the Justice Department's data collection efforts regarding transgender medical care.