Trump administration gives California (CIF) 10-day deadline to rescind awards from transgender athletes

Federal funds, other sanctions on line not only in California, but other states; DOE says AB Hernandez' participation in 2025 CIF State Track championships violated Title IX protections

The California (CIF) triple jump podium near the end of the 105th state championships at Buchanan High School in Clovis. AB Hernandez (left) and Kira Gant Hatcher are on the top (No. 1 stand). / Photo by Mitch Stephens

AB Hernandez, a 2026 transgender track and field athlete from Jurupa Valley High School in Riverside County of California, has 10 days to return all three awards the 2026 graduate won at the state meet last month in Clovis, otherwise the state will lose federal funds. 

That is the threat made Wednesday by the Trump administration, stating that California’s Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation have violated Title IX protections by allowing transgender athletes to play on girls sports teams. 

Though the Department of Education didn't single out Hernandez — it applied to all transgender athletes — the Jurupa Valley junior's performance in one of the country's top track and field events made national news.

Amidst protesters outside of Veteran’s Memorial Stadium and throngs of national press on May 31, Hernandez, a biological male, tied for first in the high jump (5 feet, 7 inches), won the triple jump (42-2¾) and took second in the long jump (20-8¾), all in the girls field event competitions at California’s 105th annual event.

AB HERNANDEZ | Wins two events at CIF State Track finals

Going into the meet, the CIF, the state's governing board for high school sports, already following a California 2013 law that allows student-athletes to participate on any team that corresponds with their gender identity, amended policies to ensure a transgender athlete would not displace a cisgender (biological female) one to advance from the trials to the finals. 

Transgender athlete AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley took one triple jump and qualified first in 40-9.75 at Friday's CIF State Championship trials / Photo by Eric Taylor

Further, the CIF would also award duplicate medals to cigender athletes where a transgender athlete finished. 

Ultimately that is what happened in three cases, with a cigender athlete joining Hernandez each time on the victory stand. 

AB HERNANDEZ | Trump orders Hernandez out; CIF amends rules

In the high jump, in fact, Hernandez shared the top podium spot with two girls, Lelani Larauelle of Monta Vista-Cupertino and Jillene Wetteland of Long Beach Poly. In the triple jump, Hernandez shared the top spot with St. Mary’s of Berkeley junior Kira Grant Hatcher (40-5) and in the long jump Hernandez and River City’s Brooke White (19-4¼) shared second place.  

White told the San Francisco Chronicle the night of the state finals that other athletes: "all have her back. ... Although the publicity she's been receiving has been pretty negative, I believe she deserves publicity because she's a superstar, she's a rock star, she's representing who she is."

On Wednesday, the U.S. The Department of Education offered the CIF and the California Department of Education a chance to comply with its federal rule in the next 10 days by banning transgender athletes from girls sports, and restoring any prize won by a transgender athlete to the next-placing biological female athlete. 

The Trump administration also seeks personalized letters of apologies to cigender athletes “on behalf of the state of California for allowing her educational experience to be marred by sex discrimination.” If the state or the CIF don’t comply, the Trump administration will refer the matter to the Department of Justice for further action. 

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The CIF’s response: “The CIF does not comment on legal matters.” 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office, in a statement, suggested the state will not comply with the department’s demands. Maine didn't comply either with a similar case in April and was sued within a week.

“”It wouldn’t be a day ending in “y” without the Trump Administration threatening to defund California,” spokesperson Izzy Gardon wrote on Wednesday. “Now Secretary (Linda) McMahon is confusing government with her WrestleMania days — dramatic, fake and completely divorced from reality. This won’t stick.” 

AB Hernandez’ mother Nena Hernandez told the Sacramento Bee “The findings of the DOE were expected when the decision-makers are the ones doing the discrimination. This is not justice, it’s manipulation. This is evidently abuse of power and a continuous direct attack on the rights of trans women and trans girls.” 

McMahon told the Bee: “The Trump administration will relentlessly enforce Title IX protections for women and girls, and our findings today make clear that California has failed to adhere to its obligation under federal law. The state must swiftly come into compliance with Title IX or face the consequences that follow.”

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