NCLR filed an amicus brief in federal district court highlighting the stories of LGBTQ asylum seekers in a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s “asylum ban”‚ the rule and presidential proclamation barring asylum for individuals who enter the United States across the southern border outside of a port of entry.

M.A.G. fled his country fearing for his life and safety as a gay man. Once in the U.S., he searched unsuccessfully for a long time for an attorney who could represent him and that he could afford. Three days before the asylum filing deadline, he was referred to NCLR and was granted asylum.

A.A. is a transgender man from Mexico. Despite facing family rejection and physical violence throughout his life for being transgender or being perceived to be too masculine, he remained in Mexico and tried to support his family there. However, when he started getting death threats from drug cartel members and police who were complicit, he realized he had to flee to protect his own life.

Jen (not her actual name) is a transgender woman from Mexico who faced physical and sexual violence from those around her, including her family. She realized that remaining in Mexico was not safe for her, and fled to the U.S. NCLR assisted her in getting asylum, which was granted in June 2018.

A.G.’s complaint states that on January 6. 2015, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department entered A.G.’s father’s home and used a Taser on his father, who was mentally ill, because he would not stop singing in his bathroom. A.G.’s father died as a result. The California Superior Court improperly dismissed A.G.’s wrongful death claim solely because A.G.’s father was not his biological or adoptive father, even though he was A.G.’s presumed legal father under California law.