Judge Who Blocked Key Trump Executive Order Has Long History of Left-Wing Activism, Democratic Donations

A federal judge’s recent decision to block a Trump-era executive order on transgender troops has lit up discussions on her apparent history of Democratic activism. U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes, who took office in February 2023 as the first openly gay federal judge in D.C., has deep ties to Democratic causes, including volunteering for President Biden’s 2020 campaign and donating over $38,000 to Democratic efforts since 2008, according to Federal Election Commission records.

During her Senate confirmation, Reyes disclosed aiding Biden’s campaign with election law issues and her financial contributions to liberal groups like ActBlue and Democratic candidates such as Senator Jon Ossoff. She also maxed out her donations to Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign.

Reyes was notably involved with Defeat By Tweet, a super PAC that raised funds for liberal groups in swing states based on then-President Trump’s Twitter activity. Though the PAC has since transitioned its resources to Black Church PAC, a group aligned with defunding the police, its alignment with progressive policies underscores Reyes’ activist profile.

Born in Uruguay and immigrating to the U.S. as a child, Reyes has an extensive record of advocating for asylum seekers and representing illegal immigrants during her legal career. She described this work as a "privilege" in a 2017 speech when she was honored as Woman Lawyer of the Year by the Woman’s Bar Association of D.C. Her activism extended to serving on the board of the Feminist Majority Foundation, a group championing women’s equality and reproductive rights.

Despite her progressive leanings, Reyes has shown moments of judicial independence. She sided with Trump in cases related to leaks of his tax returns and criticized legal teams in lawsuits against the Trump administration. But her recent injunction against Trump’s executive order, which sought to revise military standards for transgender individuals, reignited scrutiny of her political affiliations.

In her 79-page ruling, Reyes invoked historical references, including the fight for women’s suffrage, to argue for inclusivity in the military. She noted, "Thousands of transgender persons serve to protect rights, including those won through decades of struggle."

Reyes’ decision also questioned whether the Trump administration viewed being transgender as an "ideology." Her ruling blocks the Pentagon from enforcing Trump’s directive, which claimed that expressing a gender identity inconsistent with biological sex failed to meet military standards.

The case underscores ongoing tensions between judicial decisions, politics, and military policies, a landscape where Reyes has firmly planted her progressive roots while occasionally surprising observers with independent stances.