Southeast
'Overwhelming evidence' of negative consequences from gender 'treatments' focus of landmark Supreme Court case
The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard oral arguments in a high-profile case regarding whether states can ban minors from receiving gender transition medical care under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, a closely-watched case that could impact the care and treatment for young people in at least half of U.S. states.
Conservative justices on the Supreme Court appeared reluctant during Wednesday’s oral arguments to overturn Senate Bill 1, the Tennessee law in question, with Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh suggesting that state legislatures, rather than courts, are best equipped to regulate medical procedures. The Constitution leaves such questions “to the people’s representatives,” Roberts noted Wednesday, rather than to nine justices on the Supreme Court, “none of whom is a doctor.”
Justice Samuel Alito, for his part, cited “overwhelming evidence” from certain medical studies listing the negative consequences from adolescents that underwent gender transition treatments. Should the justices rule along party lines to uphold the lower court’s decision, it will have sweeping implications for more than 20 U.S. states that have moved to implement similar laws.
The case in question, United States v. Skrmetti, centers on a Tennessee law that bans gender-transition treatments for minors in the state. The law, passed in March 2023, also takes aim at health care providers in Tennessee who continue to provide gender-transition treatments to transgender minors, opening them up to fines, lawsuits and other liability.
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A student leads a group of demonstrators in Knoxville, Tennessee, in protest of the state’s 2022 transgender athlete ban. (Saul Young/Knoxville News-Sentinel /USA Today)
At issue in the case is whether Tennessee’s Senate Bill 1, which “prohibits all medical treatments intended to allow ‘a minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor’s sex’ or to treat ‘purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between the minor’s sex and asserted identity,’” violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Wednesday’s oral arguments marked the first time the Supreme Court considered restrictions on puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgery for minors. However, it also comes as many other states have moved to ban or restrict medical treatments and procedures for transgender adolescents, placing outsize focus on the case and on oral arguments Wednesday, as observers closely watched the back-and-forth for clues as to how the court might rule.
Petitioners in the case were represented by the Biden administration and the ACLU, which sued to overturn the Tennessee law on behalf of the parents of three transgender adolescents and a Memphis-based doctor.
At issue during Wednesday’s oral arguments was the level of scrutiny that courts should use to evaluate the constitutionality of state bans on transgender medical treatment for minors, such as SB1, and whether these laws are considered discriminating on the basis of sex or against a “quasi-suspect class,” thus warranting a higher level of scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.
Both sides continued to battle over the level of scrutiny that the court should apply in reviewing laws involving transgender care for minors, including SB1.
Petitioners argued that the court should use the test of heightened scrutiny, which requires states to identify an important objective that the law helps accomplish, while the state of Tennessee reiterated its claim that the rational basis test, or the most deferential test that was applied by the 6th Circuit Court in reviewing SB1, is sufficient.
Petitioners, represented by U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, argued that SB1 discriminates against individuals on the basis of sex, which itself warrants a heightened level of scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause. They argued that SB1 “categorically bans treatment when, and only when, it’s consistent with the patient’s birth sex.”
In Tennessee, petitioners argued, the way that the sex-based classification works is that, “from the standpoint of any individual who wants to take these medications, their sex determines whether SB1 applies.”
Prelogar cited one of the unnamed petitioners in the case, whom she referred to only as John Doe. Doe “wants to take puberty blockers to undergo a typical male puberty. But SB1 says that because John sex at birth was female, he can’t have access to those medications,” Prelogar argued. “And if you change his sex, then the restriction under SB1 lifts, and it changes the result.”
Petitioners also sought to assuage concerns raised by justices about the ability of states to pass legislation protecting minors, so long as the test meets a higher standard of scrutiny.
Pressed by Justice Brett Kavanaugh on the impact the ruling could have on other states, Prelogar responded by noting that the court could write a very narrow opinion that states only that when a law prohibits conduct that is “inconsistent with sex, that is a sex baseline, so you do have to apply heightened scrutiny.”
“But the court has made clear that that’s an intermediate standard,” Prelogar said. “And if the state can come forward with an important interest and substantiate that it needed to draw those sex baselines to substantially serve the interest,” it would still be permitted.
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The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
Respondents for the state of Tennessee argued Wednesday that SB1 was designed to protect minors from what they described as “risky and unproven medical interventions.”
The state, represented by Tennessee Solicitor General Matthew Rice, argued that SB1 draws a “purpose-based line, not a sex-based line,” thus failing to meet the necessary requirement to trigger heightened scrutiny.
The law, Rice said, turns “entirely on medical purposes, not a patient’s sex.” The only way petitioners can point to a sex-based line, he argued, “is to equate fundamentally different medical treatments.”
“Giving testosterone to a boy with a deficiency is not the same treatment as giving it to a girl who has psychological distress associated with her body,” Rice said.
Still, respondents faced tough questioning from justices on the classification and application of SB1.
On issues of classification, Justice Kentaji Brown Jackson cited parallels to the race-based case of Loving v. Virginia, which overturned Virginia’s law forbidding marriage between persons of different racial categories; in that case, a White man and a Black woman.
A flag supporting LGBTQ+ rights decorates a desk on the Democratic side of the Kansas House of Representatives during a debate on March 28, 2023 at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kansas. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Monday to consider whether a Tennessee ban on gender transition care for minors is constitutional. (AP Photo/John Hanna, File)
She noted that under SB1, an individual can be prescribed puberty blockers or hormone treatments if doing so is consistent with their sex, but not if it is inconsistent, asking Rice, “So how are they different?”
Justice Elena Kagan asked Rice about the application of SB1, noting the text of SB1 and one of its articulated purposes, which is to “encourag[e] minors to appreciate their sex and to ban treatments ‘that might encourage minors to become disdainful of their sex.’”
“You’re spending a lot of time talking about what the classification is here,” Kagan told Rice. “And I think we’ve talked a good deal about that. But what produced this classification might be relevant to understanding what the classification is about.”
Tennessee has argued that its law can still withstand even the test of heightened scrutiny, contending in its court brief that it does have “compelling interests” to protect the health and safety of minors in the state and “in protecting the integrity and ethics of the medical profession.”
The controversial case comes at a time in Washington when Republicans are set to take control of the White House, hold the House and regain the Senate, giving them a greater influence on the composition of the federal courts.
The court is expected to rule on U.S. v. Skrmetti before July 2025.
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Southeast
Manhunt underway for 3 ‘dangerous’ inmates who broke out of Georgia jail
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Authorities announced Monday that three inmates, possibly armed and considered dangerous, have escaped from a jail in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
Officials said the fugitives escaped early Monday morning from the DeKalb County Jail in Decatur, a northeastern suburb of Atlanta. The inmates were reportedly facing felony charges, including murder, arson and armed robbery.
“Authorities say these fugitives may be armed and are considered dangerous,” the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on social media. “The public is urged to exercise extreme caution and should not approach them.”
The inmates were first discovered missing during a routine security check, officials said. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit, along with uniformed patrol units, is actively working to locate and apprehend the individuals.
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The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office said three inmates have escaped from DeKalb County Jail. (DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office)
“We take this breach very seriously and are working diligently to ensure these individuals are safely returned to custody as quickly as possible,” Sheriff Melody M. Maddox said in a statement.
The fugitives have been identified as 24-year-old Stevenson Charles, 31-year-old Yusuf Minor and 25-year-old Naod Yohannes.
According to the U.S. Marshals, Charles is considered “extremely dangerous” and was serving a life sentence at the time of his escape, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.
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A manhunt is underway after three inmates escaped from DeKalb County Jail early Monday. (DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office)
Local authorities said Charles had been charged with murder and armed robbery. He has also been accused of child rape, specifically sodomy on a person less than 10 years old, kidnapping, carjacking, aggravated assault, weapons violations and probation violations, Fox 5 reported, citing U.S. Marshals.
He is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing approximately 200 pounds. According to U.S. Marshals, he has close ties to both Atlanta and Miami, the local station said.
Authorities urge residents to avoid approaching the possibly armed fugitives. (DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office)
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The Sheriff’s Office added that Minor was charged with two counts of armed robbery and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Yohannes was reportedly charged with simple assault, arson and unlawful acts of violence in a penal institution.
Anyone with information regarding their whereabouts is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Tip Line at 404-298-8200.
Fox News Digital reached out to U.S. Marshals for more information.
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Southeast
Pope Leo appoints pro-immigration bishop to diocese home to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago
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Pope Leo XIV has announced a pro-immigration pastor as bishop of Palm Beach, Florida, which is home to President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago.
On Friday, Pope Leo named Rev. Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez, pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Queens, New York, as the new bishop of Palm Beach, Florida.
Rodríguez, born in the Dominican Republic and ordained a priest in 2004, has been described as a supporter of immigrant rights.
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Pope Leo XIV has named a pro-immigration pastor as bishop of Palm Beach, Florida, which is home to President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)
In an interview with the Associated Press, Rodríguez said, “I never, never, never expected anything even close to this,” and added, “I’m even a little bit scared. But I trust in God’s assistance. One thing I can tell you is that this diocese is a diocese of hard-working priests and hard-working people, and I’m here to help.”
Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate is located in the Diocese of Palm Beach, and Rodríguez said he wants to “help” Trump when it comes to immigration.
“The president is doing really good things, not only for the United States, but for the world. But when it comes to the migrant, the immigration policy, we want to help,” Rodriguez told the AP. “We want to assist the president as a church because we believe that we can do better… than the way we’re doing this right now.”
Rodríguez said he believes it isn’t appropriate to enforce immigration policy on minors.
“When it comes to enforcing immigration laws, we shouldn’t be enforcing them by focusing on deporting 5-year-olds, 12-year-olds, 9-year-old kids, people that have never committed any crime,” Rodriguez said. “So, we’re here to help. We’re willing to help, and God willing, we will.”
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President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump. (Alex Brandon/AP)
In November, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a “special message” on immigration, which said in part: “Catholic teaching exhorts nations to recognize the fundamental dignity of all persons, including immigrants. We bishops advocate for a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures. Human dignity and national security are not in conflict. Both are possible if people of good will work together.”
It added, “We recognize that nations have a responsibility to regulate their borders and establish a just and orderly immigration system for the sake of the common good. Without such processes, immigrants face the risk of trafficking and other forms of exploitation. Safe and legal pathways serve as an antidote to such risks.”
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The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has called for nations to respect the human dignity of immigrants while acknowledging nations must enforce their borders. (Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images)
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Southeast
Boca Raton mayor launches run for Congress, touting GOP as ‘party of the middle class’
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Boca Raton, Florida’s Republican Mayor Scott Singer announced a run for Congress last week and spoke to Fox News Digital about his case to voters that Washington needs more local, common-sense leadership and fewer policies that he says have fueled inflation, weakened border security and slowed economic growth.
Singer announced his run against Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz in Florida’s 23rd Congressional District with a launch video referencing New York City’s onerous taxes and referencing Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s “radical left policies” while contrasting the economic and tax landscape with Florida, where many New Yorkers have fled to in recent years.
“I love public service,” Singer told Fox News Digital. “It’s been the honor of my life to serve as mayor. We have an opportunity to keep America going in the right direction and reverse some of the policies from the past four years that led to porous borders, high taxes, higher inflation and have hurt our economy.”
Singer, who joins a race where several other Republicans have also declared, praised recent Republican-led efforts in Washington, including what he described as historic tax relief and policies aimed at boosting wages and lowering costs for working families.
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Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer has announced a run for Congress in Florida. (Getty)
“The Republican Party has become the party of the middle class,” he said, pointing to proposals to eliminate taxes on overtime and tips, strengthen domestic manufacturing and bring jobs back to the U.S. “These are the things that are helping the middle class, higher wages, lower inflation and lower costs.”
The mayor drew a sharp contrast with today’s Democratic Party, arguing it has moved too far to the left to deliver practical solutions.
“Unfortunately, the Democratic Party of today is not our parents’ Democratic Party,” Singer said. “With an increasingly out-of-touch, far-left progressive party, it’s hard for common-sense solutions to come out of that.”
Singer said his experience in local government has shown him what effective governance looks like — and what Washington is missing.
“At the local level, we’ve excelled because we have to,” Singer said. “We have balanced budgets. We can’t shut down the government. We have to pick up the trash every day and deliver essential services. And we do that by finding common ground.”
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The United States Capitol building is seen in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 16, 2025. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)
That approach, Singer argued, is increasingly absent in Congress, where partisan gridlock often stalls progress.
He also voiced strong support for President Donald Trump’s policy agenda, particularly efforts to combat antisemitism on college campuses, reduce the size of government and roll back federal regulations.
“Our campuses have been unsafe for years,” Singer said. “President Trump has stood up to antisemitism by holding universities accountable. We need to codify those gains, not just rely on executive orders.”
Singer pledged he would also push to restore more authority to states and local governments, particularly on education and environmental policy, and continue efforts to rein in federal spending.
“Harmful regulation has killed jobs and increased costs,” he said. “We need long-term solutions that put power back in the hands of states and communities, not Washington bureaucrats.”
Singer told Fox News Digital one of his day one priorities if elected to Congress will be legislation to “ban individual stock trading by members,” which he called an “important” issue.
The Cook Political Report currently ranks the race as “Lean Democrat” as House Republicans will try to buck historical trends and hold their razor-thin majority in the House next November.
“What Americans want is a strong economy, a strong national defense and common-sense solutions,” Singer said. “That’s what I’ve delivered as mayor, and that’s what I want to bring to Congress.”
Earlier this year, shortly before Mamdani’s victory, Singer told Fox News Digital that the socialist candidate’s rise in New York City is likely to spark an exodus of businesses to Florida, a move he said he has already started to see in his conversations with business owners.
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Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani speaks to members of the media at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in the Queens borough of New York on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“It’s hard to predict how bad the economic situation is going to be, but Mamdani doubled down at last week’s debate and said it’s about time we raised taxes, and he was grateful for it,” Singer said. “When he’s proposing a 17% marginal tax rate for New York City residents between state and local taxes, that’s 17% that they can simply give up by moving here and with jobs more mobile because of technology and with companies finding great office space here, there’s less and less reason for people to stay there.”
Singer continued, “I think one year out, you’re going to see a substantial exodus of companies that are able to move. Two years out, we’re going to see depressed values, more unemployment, higher crime. And four years out? We don’t know. I think at that point, they’ll be ready for a new mayor if what we expect to happen in November happens.”
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