Judge Katherine Polk Failla ruled a day after hearing oral arguments in Manhattan, calling the government's pursuit of the most sensitive medical records of a "uniquely vulnerable group" of patients treated over a six-year period to be "most egregious" and unconstitutional.

The judge's ruling

Failla accused the Justice Department of turning to criminal probes as a way to obtain otherwise private records about those undergoing transgender care after judges across the country repeatedly rejected similar requests through civil means.

The Justice Department had sought the records as part of a probe of potential "misbranding" of drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The Justice Department declined comment after Failla's ruling, which concluded that the subpoenas violated Constitutional protections against government overreach in criminal probes and against improper searches and seizures.

Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, called the ruling "a victory for the basic privacy of our clients and all families like theirs across New York City." He added in a statement that using subpoenas to attain the identities and sensitive health information of transgender young people "should send chills down the spine of every American."

Failla ruled in a lawsuit filed this month on behalf of minors, their parents and young adults who received medically necessary gender-affirming care in New York City.

NYU Langone among institutions subpoenaed 

According to the lawsuit, NYU Langone Hospitals was one of several institutions to receive a federal grand jury subpoena on May 7 from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas. The records of transgender patients were to be sent electronically to a special agent of the FDA's Kansas City office of criminal investigation.

Failla said there were at least 40 individuals who received treatment at NYU Langone alone during the Jan. 1, 2020 to May 5, 2026 period covered by the subpoenas.

At a Tuesday hearing, Failla was critical of the federal government, saying executive orders addressing transgender issues contained "language some people might consider inflammatory."

She said it seemed from an "atmospheric perspective" that the government was "rounding up" vulnerable individuals by finding out the most personal information about them and then "giving them no comfort they're not going to be ostracized or even harmed."

"There are episodes of this in our history and they are not nice episodes," Failla said. "Some may see it as a rounding up of people for all bad purposes."

Gender-affirming care

Most major medical groups say access to gender-affirming care is important for people with gender dysphoria. Transgender teens, parents and providers have described it as life-saving for children who are depressed or suicidal because their gender identities do not match the gender assigned them at birth.

Gender-affirming care can include counseling, medications that block puberty, hormone therapy to produce physical changes or surgeries, although those are rare for minors.

Twenty-seven states have limited or banned gender-affirming care for minors, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June 2025 that they could do so under the U.S. Constitution.

President Donald Trump has aggressively sought to roll back transgender rights. During his second term, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has moved to use its regulatory power to block gender-affirming care for minors, and the DOJ has demanded access to providers' private records, putting pressure on hospitals that often rely on federal funding to operate.

At the outset of reading a lengthy ruling to the parties participating in an electronic proceeding, Failla noted that the "current administration" had issued orders in the first few days of its existence in which it "sought to demonize and eradicate an entire population of transgender individuals."

Before finishing an hour later, Failla had granted class-action status to the plaintiffs and ruled that the Justice Department had violated the Fourth and Fifth Amendments to the Constitution. She set a July 8 hearing to hear additional evidence before deciding whether to impose a preliminary injunction, the next step in the legal process after Wednesday's temporary restraining order.

Simone Kelly, 24, was enjoying the festivities when she saw a man climbing onto the roof of a subway station entrance.

"This man was on a slanted surface, and was wobbling, swaying, and then eventually splays out," she said.

Kelly, a member of the South Orange Volunteer Rescue Squad in New Jersey, immediately sprang into action, climbing to reach the man.

"He was unresponsive, had decreased respiratory drive and the pinpoint pupils," she said. "That's usually enough we need to treat it as an overdose."

Someone from the crowd below threw Kelly a Narcan kit.

"I felt for a pulse, and I gave him a little nasal spray," she said.

Kelly and other spectators worked to save the man's life as police officers and EMS crews rushed to the scene.

"When EMS came, it was their jurisdiction now. [I said,] 'Hey, this is what we did. We gave him Narcan. I saw him drinking,'" Kelly said.

Kelly said she doesn't know what happened to the man after he was taken away, but she's hopeful her actions made a difference.

"There are a lot of opportunities in our lives where we are put in the exact place we need to be ... and maybe I'm supposed to do something with this," she said.

She is hoping to become a doctor one day to help others in their greatest time of need.

"It wasn't just my training and I knew what do to," Kelly said. "It was, I have for years been standing on this soapbox saying that harm reduction is real, addiction is not a choice."

"After a series of tests, my doctors have told me I have Alzheimer's. This is called early stage Alzheimer's, and they say the treatments I'm getting are keeping it at bay, at least for now," he said on air.

Ritter, 76, said despite his diagnosis, he will still do reporting at WABC, cover what he calls "the rising tide of Alzheimer's" and carry the fight for a cure.

"I'm going to so miss reporting the news to all of you, with the truth and with facts, no matter where they fall," he said.

Ritter said he is very familiar with the disease; his father died from it in 1998.

He ended his announcement with a message for viewers.

"For now, I wish you health and peace, and let's take care of each other," he said.

In a statement, WABC general manager Marilu Galvez said:

"For decades, Bill Ritter has covered and led New Yorkers through the stories that matter most. A defining presence at ABC7, he has done so with exceptional insight, integrity, and, most of all - heart, earning the love and respect of viewers and colleagues alike. While he is stepping away from daily anchoring, he will continue to be an integral part of our ABC7 family, including sharing personal updates and providing resources to help others impacted by Alzheimer's better understand the disease and the resources available to them. Bill is strong, brilliant, and resourceful, and we look forward to his continued reporting on Eyewitness News."

On social media, Ritter's colleague Lee Goldberg posted, "He preaches be kind, take care of each other, & we're all in this together. Now, in addition to doing these things for himself & his loving family, he'll build on his legendary legacy by helping millions who share his battle. You're a saint, and my hero [Bill Ritter]. Love you."

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin wrote, "Bill is an extraordinary journalist, but what's always stood out to me most was the person behind the anchor desk. He's warm, gracious, deeply curious, and cares profoundly about this city and the people in it. I've always enjoyed our conversations and will miss seeing him on air. My thoughts are with Bill and his family as they face this challenge. New York is with them every step of the way."

"I have to give him a lot of credit for opening up and telling people about his diagnosis," said Ken Zaentz, of Alzheimer's New Jersey. "People don't always want to do that."

Zaentz said many people with early stage Alzheimer's can still carry on with their careers.

"Just because someone is diagnosed in the early stages of the disease doesn't mean that they all of a sudden have to stop working," he said.

Everyone at CBS News New York salutes Ritter and wishes him the best going forward in his courageous battle.

Saturday in Verona Park, New Jersey, over 1,000 participants on 132 different teams came out to support their mission at the organization's annual walk and 5K run, raising money to help children get access to the treatment they need close to home.

Many participants received help from The Valerie Fund during their own health battles.

"They've been so amazing. We're so happy to be here today," one participant said.

"They helped fund us, helped us get through the whole thing and helped my parents deal with it, so we're here to support them today," one former cancer patient said.

"It's been unbelievable. All the support that we've gotten, from meditation to art therapy to support groups," another participant said. "We couldn't've asked for anything better, and we're so happy to be here and support The Valerie Fund in a way to give back."

CBS News New York meteorologist Vanessa Murdock has emceed the event for over a decade, along with John Elliott.

This year's event surpassed the $1 million goal, raising over $1,007,500. If you would like to donate, visit thevaleriefund.org/donate.

Saturday also marked the 50th anniversary of The Valerie Fund.

As the major milestone approached, CBS News New York's Jenna DeAngelis sat down with one of the thousands of families touched by the organization and its founders. 

"An impossible journey"

Johnny Sibbald, 11, is a typical kid who loves reptiles, playing sports and cheering on his favorite teams. But that all changed when he was diagnosed with leukemia in September.  

"Nothing prepares you for getting that news, you know. I can't even put it into words what it's like," his mother, Lisa, said.    

She said Johnny immediately started treatment. While it's been a challenging time, The Valerie Fund has helped the family get through it. 

"They've made things so much easier for Johnny that an impossible journey has felt like we're OK," she said.

Johnny is a patient at The Valerie Fund Children's Center at Atlantic Health Goryeb Children's Hospital in Morristown. It's one of eight centers dedicated to caring for children with the help of social workers, psychologists, education liaisons and child life specialists. 

"It's really, really important because like we can cure your child medically and physically, but the emotional part is a whole different aspect," said nurse practitioner Maureen Baker.  

Little girl's legacy lives on through nonprofit

The Valerie Fund also brings care close to home for families, which is a big reason founders Sue and Ed Goldstein started it. 

The couple created the organization in honor of their daughter, Valerie, who was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma in 1970 at just 3 years old.

Her parents traveled to and from New York City for treatment.

"We just felt that something should be done. Nothing was here in New Jersey," Ed said. "It's a day's effort just to get to the hospital when you're going to New York."

"One person said to me, I wish that you had a Valerie fund when Valerie was sick," Sue said.

Valerie lost her fight against cancer in 1976. The following year, the Goldsteins opened the first Valerie Fund Children's Center in New Jersey.

It grew tremendously, now helping more than 6,500 patients each year from Philadelphia to Long Island.

It's all in memory of a little girl whose legacy lives on through 50 years of hope and healing. 

The annual Valerie Fund Walk/5K Run is happening Saturday in Verona, New Jersey, to support the organization.

You can also help the cause by donating online.  

This is the season when the need for blood goes up, but donations are down. Now, officials are trying to reverse that potentially dangerous trend.

Historically, more car crashes and accidents happen in the summer, sending people to hospitals, with many needing blood transfusions. 

But blood banks traditionally see a decline in supplies in the summer.

New Jersey Blood Services, a nonprofit blood center, has declared a blood supply emergency with collections down 15%. It says that in May, there were 4,500 fewer donations than needed to meet hospital needs.

"From the hospital and blood bank perspective, that means we have to be prepared to respond quickly with life-saving transfusions and emergency care when these critically injured patients arrive," pathologist Dr. Xiomara Fernandez said.

The American Red Cross says  25% of trauma patients require blood transfusions, and up to 5% of them will need 10 or more units of blood, which can quickly deplete a hospital's supply.

Donations tend to go way down in the summer because of school breaks, extreme weather and travel. 

"It definitely impacts the treatment of patients that are coming in for emergency situations, surgery patients, patients that are being treated for leukemia or cancer. If the platelets and stuff aren't there, we have to work to find them from other areas or transfer them from other blood banks," said Linda Wienclaw with New York Blood Center.

To help ensure a stable national blood supply, the Red Cross is calling on eligible donors to roll up their sleeves. 

All blood types are needed, especially type O, which is often used for trauma patients. There's also a need for plasma and for platelets, which only have a five-day shelf life.

"When someone is able to come and donate, that is one of the most simplest and most direct ways to help save lives among your own community," Fernandez said.

In addition to what's called trauma season, officials want to increase blood supply levels to be able to also cover some big upcoming events, including the World Cup.

Learn more about donating blood at RedCrossBlood.org.