D.S. is a transgender woman from Mexico who came to the U.S. over 20 years ago. She faced severe persecution in Mexico because of her gender expression and perceived sexual orientation, including physical and sexual violence. Even after fleeing to the U.S., she continued to hide who she was, as she was living in a town with no visible LGBTQ community, and because of the lingering effects of the trauma she experienced.

In early 2019, she moved to San Francisco, where she finally was able to find the emotional, social, psychological, and legal support she needed and deserved. One of the things standing in the way of safely living her life as her authentic self, as is the case for many people, was her lack of legal immigration status. NCLR assisted D.S. in her application for asylum and in preparing for her interview, during which she was able to share her story effectively, and was granted asylum.