On Sunday 15th February, my wife Addison was detained for 21 hours by UK border control at Heathrow airport. We had just landed back from Barcelona, where we'd been celebrating our third anniversary together.

After nearly a day in the detention centre with her phone confiscated, she was forced to leave her family here in the UK and return to the US.

We're relieved to know she is physically safe. But beyond that, we don't know when, or even if, she'll be able to come back home to the UK.

This should never have happened.

Addison came to the UK in 2022 on a graduate visa to pursue a master's at UCL. We began dating in 2023 and tied the knot last year. We immediately applied to convert Addison’s graduate visa to a spousal visa and were told that throughout the application process her existing visa, and her rights as a UK resident, would remain valid.

As unidentified border officers interrogated Addison, she was told that a document from the Home Office ruled that leaving the country during the visa process would void Addison’s application entirely.

No such document was given or sent to her.

This mistake from the Home Office is costing her visa status, her job, her community, and our home together.

Returning to the US is dangerous.

Addison’s decision to move to the UK was based on building a life and a future. As an LGBTQ+ woman, returning to the US is not safe at this time.

Today, hate crimes in the US against the LGBTQ+ community, especially LGBTQ+ Women, are commonplace. Forcing Addison to return to the US is a genuine risk to her safety and her wellbeing.

What we're fighting for:

We are doing everything legally possible to challenge this decision and keep Addison home. This fight is expensive and there’s no clarity regarding how long it might last.

Every pound raised will go directly towards:

If you can give anything or even just share this page, it means the world to us right now. We are exhausted, scared, and trying to hold it together. Your support reminds us we're not doing this alone.