Texas has been secretly tracking transgender individuals who attempt to update the gender markers on their driver’s licenses, and state officials refuse to explain why.
Newly uncovered documents reveal that the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has been compiling a list of trans residents who request gender marker changes. This information is then forwarded to an internal state email account, though its purpose remains unclear.
Tracking Trans Texans in Secret
In August 2023, Texas implemented a policy prohibiting residents from changing the gender markers on their driver’s licenses to reflect their gender identity. However, documents shared with The Texas Newsroom show that DPS employees have continued to record all such requests, whether made in person, over the phone, or via email.
At least 42 individuals have had their attempts documented in the past five months, some of whom were merely seeking guidance on state policies.
The documents also reveal inconsistent handling of these requests—some employees allowed name changes while denying gender marker updates, while others rejected both. Even new residents who arrived with federally issued IDs or licenses from other states that reflected their gender identity were denied Texas documents with matching information.
A Mysterious Database and Refusal to Answer Questions
DPS staff scanned and saved transgender drivers’ personal data and forwarded it to a designated internal email address. The purpose of this database, who has access to it, and whether the collection is still ongoing remain unanswered. Neither the Texas Attorney General’s office nor DPS has provided explanations, fueling concerns among LGBTQ+ advocates.
When screenshots of the DPS email address surfaced online, activists and opponents of the policy flooded it with spam in protest. According to a September review of 700 pages of emails, only one was a legitimate request to update a gender marker—while 80 were from pranksters and critics.
Among the spam messages, DPS employees received newsletters from PETA, bargain alerts from Krazy Coupon Lady, and promotional emails from adult retailers. Some protest emails called the tracking effort “fascistic” and “a disgrace in the eyes of God,” while others directly criticised DPS employees for participating in what they described as an authoritarian policy.
Despite the backlash, the internal documents confirm that employees continued to collect and forward trans individuals’ data after the spam campaign.
Texas Moves to Further Criminalize Trans Identities
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been vocal in his opposition to allowing trans-Texans to update their state documents. He has referred to court orders directing state agencies to honour gender marker changes as “illegal.”
Paxton recently reaffirmed that it is unlawful for trans people to change their gender markers and went further, stating that any previously altered documents must be reverted to their original status—despite there being no legal requirement for such reversions.
Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers in Texas have introduced legislation to impose criminal penalties on individuals whose gender on state documents does not match the sex assigned at birth.
Concerns Over Privacy and Civil Rights
The revelation that Texas is maintaining a secret list of trans residents has alarmed activists and civil rights groups. Critics argue that such data collection could be used to target or discriminate against trans individuals, particularly as the state advances policies aimed at restricting their rights.
With state officials remaining silent on the matter, the LGBTQ+ community and its allies continue to demand answers—fearing that this list is yet another step in a broader effort to criminalise transgender existence in Texas.
