The Massachusetts federal judge who temporarily secured taxpayer dollars for Planned Parenthood after the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” defunding of the nation’s largest abortion provider has a career steeped in progressive politics and controversial rulings.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani of the District of Massachusetts imposed a temporary restraining order Monday directing the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure Medicaid funding continues to be disbursed to Planned Parenthood, which sued to restore its funding.
As a lawyer, Talwani represented organized labor unions, while as a judge she made left-leaning rulings on immigration policy, as well as a case involving transgender and free speech issues.
1. ‘Only Two Genders’ Case
In June 2023, Talwani sided with a Massachusetts school district to prevent a 12-year-old student from wearing a T-shirt that said, “There are only two genders,” at school.
2. Blocked Trump Deportations
In April, Talwani blocked the Trump administration from revoking the work permits of 530,000 illegal immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
3. Award From Chinese Progressives
In 2012, and again in 2013, the year before Obama nominated Talwani as a district court judge, she accepted the Workers Justice Award from the Chinese Progressive Association of Boston, according to Ballotpedia.
4. Organized Labor Lawyer
From 1989 to 1999 Talwani was an attorney for the San Francisco-based firm Altshuler Berzon. From 1999-2014, when she was confirmed by the Senate, she was a lawyer for the Boston-based firm Segal Roitman, also focusing on labor cases.