FBI investigates Boston, Colorado, and Los Angeles children’s hospitals over alleged genital mutilation of minors.

Federal Investigations Target Gender Procedures for Minors

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched criminal investigations into three of the nation’s leading children’s hospitals in response to allegations of genital mutilation involving minors. The probe, part of the Trump administration’s sweeping effort to enforce federal statutes banning female genital mutilation (FGM), targets Boston Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

The investigations follow Attorney General Pam Bondi’s recent memorandum pledging that the Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute violations of federal law, specifically 18 U.S.C. § 116, which criminalizes FGM for individuals under 18. Bondi’s memo issued a clear warning to medical professionals: performing or attempting to perform FGM, even under the guise of gender-affirming care, is a felony carrying a sentence of up to ten years per count.

“I am putting medical practitioners, hospitals and clinics on notice: In the United States, it is a felony to perform, attempt to perform or conspire to perform female genital mutilation (‘FGM’) on any person under the age of 18,” Bondi declared. She further directed all U.S. Attorneys to investigate suspected cases and pursue prosecution to the fullest extent permitted by law.

As part of the new enforcement strategy, the Department of Justice is creating a Coalition Against Child Mutilation, which will collaborate with state attorneys general to identify and prosecute violations. The Justice Department’s Office of Legislative Affairs is also drafting legislation to allow children and parents to sue hospitals and providers for damages resulting from what the memo calls “chemical and surgical mutilation.”

Hospitals Respond Amid Policy Shifts

The Trump administration’s stance has prompted several children’s hospitals to alter their approaches to gender-transition care for minors. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles announced the closure of its Center for Transyouth Health and Development, citing mounting legal and operational risks. The center will cease operations as of July 22, 2025.

Children’s Hospital Colorado initially suspended transgender medical treatments for patients under 19 in response to the executive order. However, after a federal judge blocked the order, the hospital resumed providing puberty blockers and hormone treatments. In a statement, the hospital clarified that it has never performed transgender surgeries on individuals under 18 and has referred such cases to external providers since 2023.

Boston Children’s Hospital continues to operate its Gender Multispecialty Service (GeMS) program. The hospital does not perform gender-affirming surgeries on patients under 18 but offers hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and social transitioning for minors, as well as referrals for gender-transition surgeries. Boston Children’s said it has not received any notice from the FBI regarding the current investigation.

The FBI, as a matter of policy, declined to confirm or comment on the ongoing probes. The investigations reflect a growing national debate over the legality and ethics of gender-affirming care for minors and signal a potentially significant shift in federal enforcement priorities.

As legal scrutiny intensifies, hospitals and medical professionals across the country face heightened uncertainty regarding the future of transgender healthcare for minors. The outcomes of these federal investigations could have broad implications for medical practice, parental rights, and the boundaries of state and federal regulation in the realm of pediatric care.