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Federal Agencies Refer Minnesota to DOJ Over Title IX Ruling on Transgender Athletes

Proceedings could jeopardize federal funding after Minnesota rejected a proposed resolution.

Minneapolis Public Schools families, educators and students hold signs during a news conference at Lake Hiawatha Park in Minneapolis on Friday, January 9, 2026, demanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement be kept out of schools and Minnesota.
The Department of Justice seal and podium is viewed at the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaking with supporters at a debate watch party at the Mesa Convention Center in Mesa, Arizona.

Overview

  • Minnesota was referred to the Justice Department on Jan. 26 by the Education Department and HHS for enforcement of Title IX findings tied to transgender participation in girls’ sports and use of female-only facilities.
  • Federal officials concluded on Sept. 30, 2025, that the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota State High School League violated Title IX, citing cases in Alpine and Nordic skiing, lacrosse, track and field, volleyball, and fastpitch softball.
  • The agencies warned that DOJ action could result in withholding or terminating Education and HHS funds, escalating a dispute shaped by the Trump administration’s current Title IX interpretation.
  • Minnesota did not accept or negotiate a proposed federal Resolution Agreement that sought policy changes and statewide notice, leading to the referral for enforcement.
  • State leaders have defended allowing students to compete consistent with gender identity, and Attorney General Keith Ellison has sued to challenge the federal stance, as local data show 11 transgender athletes identified in the review out of 232,347 student-athletes.