A federal judge has issued a nationwide injunction, preventing the U.S. government from refusing to issue passports that accurately reflect the gender identities of transgender and nonbinary Americans. U.S. District Judge Julia Kobick in Boston ruled on June 17 that the Trump administration’s policy was likely unconstitutional.

This preliminary injunction expands upon an earlier order from April, in which Judge Kobick had temporarily stopped the U.S. State Department from enforcing the policy for six specific individuals. The latest ruling extends this protection across the entire nation, impacting all transgender and nonbinary citizens seeking identity-affirming passports.

The controversial policy stemmed from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump at the start of his term. This order mandated that the federal government “recognize only two sexes, male and female,” and asserted that “these sexes are not changeable.” Consequently, the Department of State ceased issuing passports with any gender marker other than an applicant’s assigned sex at birth.

The rule led to widespread confusion and hardship. Transgender individuals who had already submitted passport applications found themselves in limbo, and many trans travelers reported being stopped and even accused of using fake passports due to discrepancies between their appearance and outdated identification.

This passport issue is one of several instances where the Trump administration rolled back transgender rights. Another notable measure was the ban on transgender people serving in the military, which the Supreme Court upheld in May.

Judge Kobick’s decision marks a significant legal victory for transgender and nonbinary rights in the United States, aiming to ensure that all citizens can obtain identification documents that accurately represent their identity.