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.

Elias is a gay man from Brazil. He suffered bullying and harassment for being different for most of his childhood. At the age of 18, through a church program, Elias sought a sponsor to help him pay to study abroad so that he could leave Brazil. After suffering hate crimes in Brazil, Elias moved to San Francisco where he heard about NCLR and our Immigration Project.

J.L. was initially granted asylum over 8 years ago, but for personal reasons he returned briefly to his home country and was apprehended at the border when he tried to come back to the U.S.. He was placed in deportation proceedings and a motion from the government to terminate his asylum status was granted.