Overview
- An internal memo from DOJ official Tammie M. Gregg instructs PREA auditors to mark LGBTQ- and intersex-specific subsections as not applicable and to stop related compliance determinations effective immediately.
- The pause affects audits of federal and state prisons, local jails, juvenile detention centers, immigration detention, and community confinement facilities such as halfway houses.
- Targeted protections include risk screenings, case-by-case housing decisions for transgender and intersex people, access to separate showers, limits on cross‑gender intrusive searches, incident reviews considering bias motive, and staff training on respectful communication.
- The PREA regulations themselves have not been formally changed, with the National Association of PREA Coordinators noting the standards remain on the books and facilities may choose to follow them absent other laws.
- Advocacy groups including Just Detention International warn the directive will increase danger and confusion, while the ACLU says PREA remains the law as broader administration policies face ongoing court challenges and DOJ has not publicly commented.