jeff sessions

No human being is illegal.

Monday, Joshua Vallum was sentenced to 49 years in prison for the heinous 2015 murder of 17-year-old Mercedes Williamson. The case marks the first time that the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act has been used to prosecute a suspect for targeting a victim because they were transgender.

The Trump administration on Wednesday effectively redacted Obama administration guidelines for schools to protect transgender students. The public outcry by LGBTQ advocates and allies was loud and instantaneous.

The Trump administration plans to today redact guidance from the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education regarding schools’ crucial protections for transgender students, following a fight between Jeff Sessions and Betsy DeVos on the issue and a DOJ decision to eliminate the Obama administration’s challenge to a nationwide injunction against the guidelines.

“You promised to be a president for all Americans, but less than 48 hours after Jeff Sessions was confirmed as Attorney General, the Department of Justice took a concrete step to undermine equality for the LGBTQ community.”

In a significant signal that the Trump administration will roll back progress for transgender people sought by the Obama administration, Jeff Sessions used his first 48 hours as attorney general to back a legal brief that would ultimately block protections for transgender students.

Bisexual sexual assault survivor and advocate Amita Swadhin testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday to urge committee members not to confirm Jeff Sessions as attorney general.