Tom Cotton Senate bill would separate male, female prison inmates by birth gender, not identity

A prisoner's gender at birth, not their gender identity, would determine which detention facility they would be sent to, under a U.S. Senate bill proposed last week by Republican Tom Cotton of Arkansas.

"My bill will stop the president’s ill-conceived plan and keep men and women separated in federal prison."

"President Biden’s plan to house male and female prisoners together will put women in danger," Cotton said in a statement. "Documented cases prove that placing men — including ones who ‘identify’ as female — in women’s prisons puts female inmates at increased risk of sexual assault. My bill will stop the president’s ill-conceived plan and keep men and women separated in federal prison."