DOJ Cuts $1.5 Million in Federal Funds to Maine Over Transgender Inmate Policy

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the funding revocation, citing Maine's placement of a transgender inmate in a women's prison as a violation of federal policy.

The Department of Justice has withdrawn over $1.5 million in nonessential federal grants from Maine's Department of Corrections due to the housing of a transgender inmate, Andrew (Andrea) Balcer, in a women's prison.
Attorney General Pam Bondi stated the decision is part of the Trump administration's broader enforcement of executive orders aimed at protecting traditionally defined women's spaces in prisons and sports.
The funding cut impacts programs supporting substance abuse treatment, children with incarcerated parents, and probation innovations, according to Maine's Department of Corrections.
Official communication from the DOJ to Maine's corrections department did not explicitly reference transgender inmate placement, highlighting a disconnect between public statements and administrative documentation.
The move follows ongoing federal-state tensions over Maine's transgender policies, including disputes over transgender participation in sports and compliance with Title IX mandates.

Portland Press Herald