Urgent Support for a Beloved Community Member in Detention and Facing Deportation

Our dear friend has lived in the United States since childhood and is now detained by ICE. She is currently being held in U.S. immigration custody under unsafe and degrading conditions, with inconsistent access to critical medications. She faces the very real risk of prolonged detention and deportation to a third country with which she has no legal, social, or historical ties.

We have come together to offer all the support we can—and we urgently need your help.

Our friend and community member is a 60-year-old, stateless LGBTQ+ woman. She is deeply loved, has built a life and lasting friendships here, and has contributed meaningfully to her community. The United States is the only home she knows.

Earlier this month, she was detained by ICE as part of the current enforcement sweeps, without justification or individualized cause. She is now fighting for her life, facing a crisis no one should ever be forced to endure.

How Funds Will Be Used

We have retained legal counsel to pursue emergency protection and release. Our urgency is not only to safeguard her physical and mental well-being, but to prevent the severe and imminent risk of third-country removal. While pro bono representation is vital, it is often impossible to secure quickly enough in an overwhelmed immigration system—particularly when a person’s safety and survival are at immediate risk.

All funds raised will be used exclusively for emergency and immigration-related legal fees and expenses, including every available effort to secure her release from detention and return her home. Any remaining funds will assist with reintegration and basic living needs following detention.

Your support can make the difference between safety and irreversible harm. Thank you for standing with her when it matters most.

This risk is real and urgent.

The U.S. Administration has now named Uganda as a third country to which detained immigrants may be sent through a process called pretermission. This means people can be deported without their protection claims ever being fully heard.

We have consulted with a country-conditions expert who has warned that attorneys across the country are urgently trying to stop LGBTQ+ people from being sent to Uganda. Uganda is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for LGBTQ+ individuals. In 2023, it passed the Anti-Homosexuality Act—often referred to as the “Kill the Gays” law which allows for harsh prison sentences and even the death penalty under provisions labeled “aggravated homosexuality.”

For an LGBTQ+ person, deportation to Uganda would mean an extreme risk of arrest, detention, abuse, and possibly death. This is not hypothetical. It is happening now….

How You Can Help:

This is a moment where community truly matters. Our friend’s safety, freedom, and life depend on immediate action. Please consider donating or sharing this campaign with others. Your support is vital - the difference between fear and safety and between uncertainty and hope. Every contribution, no matter the size, directly supports her fight for protection and dignity. Together, we can ensure that she is not abandoned at the moment she needs us most.

Thank you for standing with her and all of us to whom she means so much during this critical moment. We will keep you updated.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Privacy and Safety

Identifying details are intentionally limited to protect her safety and legal rights while active proceedings are underway. Please do not share her name or identifying information in posts, comments, or messages. This discretion is critically important and has been advised by those assisting with her case. Those closest to her are working alongside legal advocates and human rights professionals to ensure transparency, accountability, and appropriate use of all funds.