Gender-Affirming Surgery for Prison Inmates, Immigrant Detainees

In the late stages of a campaign cycle, we receive a lot of emails from our readers. One topic that we've been repeatedly asked about recently is Vice President Kamala Harris' position on government-funded gender-affirming surgery for federal prison inmates and immigrant detainees.

This week, Staff Writer Kate Yandell answered that question in a feature we call Ask FactCheck.

As Kate writes, the U.S. Constitution requires that the government provide needed medical care for prisoners, according to a 1976 Supreme Court ruling.  Transgender inmates in federal and state prisons have argued in court that this includes providing medically necessary gender-affirming care. When she was running to be the Democratic presidential nominee in 2019, Harris said in an American Civil Liberties Union candidate questionnaire that she supported "medically necessary" gender-affirming care for federal prisoners and immigrant detainees, including surgical care. 

Kate also looked into Harris' history of supporting gender-affirming surgery for state prisoners in California when Harris was the state attorney general.  

But Harris hasn't been clear about where she stands on the issue in the 2024 presidential campaign. When asked about the ACLU questionnaire on Fox News on Sept. 10, Michael Tyler, a Harris spokesperson, said, “That questionnaire — this is not what she is proposing, it’s not what she’s running on.” The campaign did not respond to Kate's questions.

Among other things, Kate also looked at how rare it is for federal prisoners and immigration detainees to receive gender-affirming surgery. As Kate writes, the Bureau of Prisons says in a manual that requests for such surgeries will be considered. A BOP spokesperson told Kate only two federal inmates have gotten these surgeries to date. 

And Kate was unable to find any record of immigrant detainees having gotten gender-affirming surgeries.

For more, read Kate's Ask FactCheck, "Harris’ Position on Health Care for Transgender Prisoners and Detainees."

Reader: Do people have to produce a deed to property to receive initial $750 in hurricane relief?

FactCheck.org Director Eugene Kiely: A property deed is not needed.

You are referring to the Serious Needs Assistance program, which helps with emergency supplies, such as food and water. It is available to all eligible residents, including renters, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

We wrote about the program this week in "Posts Misrepresent Federal Response, Funding for Hurricane Helene Victims." 

In a reference guide on the program, FEMA says this about eligibility: 

You may get Serious Needs Assistance if: 

• You or someone in your home is a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified non-citizen, 
• FEMA can confirm your identity,
• Your home is in a declared disaster area, 
• You live in your home most of the year, 
• You apply for FEMA assistance while Serious Needs Assistance is available, and 
• The disaster damaged your home. FEMA confirms this based on an inspection or documents you send.

Wrapping Up

Here's what else we've got for you this week:

• "Posts Misrepresent Federal Response, Funding for Hurricane Helene Victims": The Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided more than $210 million in immediate assistance to communities affected by Hurricane Helene, which the Department of Homeland Security secretary has described as the start of “a multibillion-dollar, multiyear recovery.” Social media posts make the false claim that storm victims are getting “only $750,” and misleadingly compare that to foreign aid. 
• "FactChecking Walz’s Interview on Fox News": In an interview on “Fox News Sunday,” Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz repeated some of the same false and misleading talking points that he and his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, have made before, including in recent debates. 
• "Trump’s False Claim of Stolen Disaster Relief Funds": The Federal Emergency Management Agency said that no funds intended for disaster relief have been used to pay for programs that respond to illegal immigration. But former President Donald Trump has falsely claimed that the Biden administration “stole” money for hurricane recovery and spent it on housing for people in the U.S. illegally. 
• "Trump Ad on Taxes Uses Deceptive Political Playbook": In a classic example of how political ads mislead viewers by using out-of-context quotes, a TV ad from former President Donald Trump’s campaign cites the New York Times as saying Vice President Kamala Harris “is seeking to significantly raise taxes.” Period, end of sentence. The rest of that sentence in the Times said: “on the wealthiest Americans and large corporations.” 
• "Republican Farmers Featured in Harris Ad Are Not Actors, Not Democrats": An ad from Vice President Kamala Harris features a Pennsylvania farming couple who say they are “lifelong Republicans” but are voting for Harris. Social media users, citing a video from an Australian news site, falsely claim the couple are “actors” and Democratic donors. The news site has corrected its report. 
• "Social Media Posts Misrepresent Airspace Restrictions After Hurricane Helene": The Federal Aviation Administration regularly restricts the airspace over areas affected by natural disasters to allow rescue and relief efforts to take place. But this routine activity has sparked misleading posts online that claimed volunteer drone operators were banned from helping in recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene.

• "Anuncio engaña sobre la posición de Harris respecto al fracking y usa cifra debatible sobre empleos dependientes del fracking en Pensilvania": La vicepresidenta Kamala Harris ha dicho que no intentará prohibir el fracking, o si es elegida presidenta, una reversión de la posición que tomó durante su campaña presidencial de 2020. Pero un anuncio televisivo del candidato republicano al Senado, Dave McCormick, afirma que Harris “haría desaparecer” cientos de miles de empleos que dependen del fracking en Pensilvania.
• "Trump y Vance se equivocan sobre ‘inmigrantes ilegales asesinos’": En apariciones de campaña a fines de septiembre en el estado pendular de Pensilvania, el expresidente Donald Trump y su compañero de fórmula, el senador JD Vance, acusaron falsamente a la vicepresidenta Kamala Harris de permitir la entrada de más de 13.000 “inmigrantes ilegales asesinos” a Estados Unidos. 
• "Las problemáticas afirmaciones de Trump sobre la industria automotriz": En Michigan, el expresidente Donald Trump cortejó a los votantes de la industria automotriz con afirmaciones falsas y sin evidencia sobre plantas automotrices chinas en México y el crecimiento de la industria automotriz durante su administración. 
• "Anuncio de Trump sobre impuestos utiliza una estrategia política engañosa": En un ejemplo clásico de cómo los anuncios políticos engañan a los espectadores utilizando citas fuera de contexto, un anuncio televisivo de la campaña del expresidente Donald Trump cita al New York Times diciendo que la vicepresidenta Kamala Harris “está buscando aumentar significativamente los impuestos”. Punto, fin de la oración. El resto de esa frase en el Times decía: “a los estadounidenses más ricos y a las grandes corporaciones”.  
• "La posición de Harris sobre la atención médica para prisioneros y detenidos transgénero": ¿Kamala Harris apoya la cirugía de afirmación de género pagada por el gobierno para presos e inmigrantes detenidos? 
• "Afirmaciones infundadas sobre funcionarios de Springfield e inmigrantes haitianos": Springfield, Ohio, sigue en el blanco de la desinformación respecto a su población de inmigrantes haitianos. Comentaristas conservadores ahora afirman falsamente que el alcalde viajó a Haití y que él y otros funcionarios de la ciudad recibieron “comisiones” por “importar” inmigrantes a Springfield. El alcalde nos dijo que nunca ha estado en Haití o recibido alguna “comisión”. 
• "Publicaciones distorsionan la respuesta federal y la financiación para las víctimas del huracán Helene": La Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA, por sus siglas en inglés) ha proporcionado más de 210 millones de dólares en asistencia inmediata a las comunidades afectadas por el huracán Helene, que el secretario del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional ha descrito como el comienzo de “una recuperación multimillonaria y de varios años”. Las publicaciones en las redes sociales afirman falsamente que las víctimas de la tormenta recibirán “solo 750 dólares” y comparan engañosamente esa cifra con la ayuda al extranjero. 
• "La falsa afirmación de Trump sobre fondos de ayuda para desastres naturales robados": La Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA, por sus siglas en inglés) dijo que no se han utilizado fondos destinados a la recuperación de desastres naturales para financiar programas que responden a la inmigración ilegal. Pero el expresidente Donald Trump ha afirmado falsamente que la administración de Biden “robó” dinero destinado a la recuperación tras el huracán [Helene] y lo gastó en viviendas para personas que se encuentran en Estados Unidos ilegalmente.