America First Legal demands answers after woman jailed over trans roommate
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FIRST ON FOX: A woman was allegedly sent back to federal prison after she objected to being roomed with a biological male sex offender at a halfway house in Rhode Island, according to a public records request obtained by Fox News Digital.
Conservative America First Legal asked the Bureau of Prisons on Monday for information about the reincarceration of Sarah Cavanaugh, who is serving the remainder of her sentence at Houston House, a halfway house in Rhode Island operated by the nonprofit Community Resources for Justice, through a public records request obtained by Fox News Digital.
The request raised concerns about whether Bureau of Prisons contractors were complying with President Donald Trump’s day-one mandate that agencies ensure biological males are not held in women’s prisons; this was part of the administration’s broader effort to tighten policies surrounding transgender people.
“Men should not share intimate spaces with women, and this includes our federal prisons,” AFL senior lawyer Emily Percival said in a statement. he said. “BOP has a duty to ensure the safety, care and protection of federal prisoners.”
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An activist holds a transgender pride flag. (Alexander Pohl/NurPhoto)
Percival Bureau of Prisons”[shirking its] Duty when he allowed his contractor to send a woman back to prison after she expressed concerns about sharing a room with a biological male convicted of a heinous sex crime.”
Cavanaugh has previously prisoner The young girl, who was sentenced to nearly six years in prison in 2023 for stolen valor, was transferred to Houston House by the Bureau of Prisons after the agency decided she was a good candidate for the move. While there, Cavanaugh learned he would be assigned a new roommate, Haley Lynn Rose, last August, according to an AFL records request. After searching the name online, Cavanaugh discovered the man’s name was Anthony Ninfo, who pleaded guilty in 2024 to possession of child pornography.
The AFL’s filing said Cavanaugh raised concerns about staff and expressed unease about sharing a room with a man convicted of a sex crime. Staff told him to follow up with the facility’s management, but the next day he was handed an incriminating incident report alleging he had breached the conditions of his presence at the halfway house, according to the AFL.
According to the AFL, the incident report said Cavanaugh created a “hostile environment for the United States.” [transgender felon]And [overstepped] Investigate boundaries by inquiring about another Houston House resident’s gender identity, genitalia, charges, and room assignment.”
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The report said “it is claimed” [sic] “Preferences regarding room assignments are inappropriate.”
WASHINGTON DC, UNITED STATES – JULY 3: Federal Bureau of Investigation headquarters building in Washington DC, United States on July 3, 2023. (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The AFL said that as a result of the incident, Cavanaugh’s halfway placement was canceled and he was sent back to prison for six months.
The legal group wrote in its complaint that the alleged incident contradicted Trump’s executive order titled “Protecting Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Returning Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” which stated that only two genders exist and that prisoners should be separated by gender.
The lawsuit comes amid ongoing legal challenges from civil rights groups over enforcement of Trump’s order. Courts have allowed some issues affecting prison housing policies to move forward, although some provisions have faced litigation.
President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on March 31, 2026. (Alex Brandon/AP)
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Citing the Freedom of Information Act, the AFL requested records from the Bureau of Prisons relating to staff interactions with Cavanaugh, the incident report filed against him, the actions taken against him, and the Bureau of Prisons’ contractual relationship with Houston House.
The Bureau of Prisons said in a statement to Fox News Digital that it could not provide further information about Cavanaugh for privacy reasons.
“For privacy, safety and security reasons, BOP does not release information regarding the conditions of incarceration of any incarcerated person,” a BOP spokesperson said. “However, we can share that BOP is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all individuals in our population, our employees, and the public. The humane treatment of men and women in our custody is a top priority. BOP is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, impartiality, and professionalism in the operation of its facilities.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to Houston House and Community Resources for Justice for comment.
