<div>All funds go directly toward Shakira’s legal fees, commissary, and communication support.
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<div>Update (June 2026):
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<div>In an expedited hearing, without adequate preparation time, or access to evidence, Shakira was tried for asylum in a conservative Louisiana immigration court. The judge ruled her deportable. Her attorneys appealed the decision and we are awaiting a review date. A habeas corpus petition has also been filed on Shakira’s behalf and remains pending. In Mississippi, habeas corpus cases are not being reviewed with diligence.
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<div>Meanwhile, Shakira remains detained in a men’s prison in Mississippi, without adequate access to appropriate food, medical personnel, or basic care. She continues to endure precarious conditions in a facility that was never designed to house her.
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<div>We demand justice and Shakira’s immediate release.
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<div>Shakira was arrested by ICE officials on September 15, 2025, after leaving her immigration court hearing at Federal Plaza in New York City. She was then transferred to a detention center in Louisiana. She could face an expedited trial and be returned to a country that does not guarantee her right to life.
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<div>Shakira arrived in the United States in May 2024, fleeing Venezuela, a country where trans people and the LGBTQIA+ community face systemic discrimination, employment exclusion, denial of the right to gender identity, constant threats, and alarmingly high rates of hate-motivated killings that remain unpunished. Seeking safety and dignity, she applied for international and humanitarian protection.
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<div>During her most recent hearing, although the judge ordered her case to continue, ICE officers immediately detained her and transferred her out of state, severely limiting her access to legal representation. She is currently being held in a form of isolation called: "protective custody", with very restricted legal resources. Shakira said:
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<div>"God places many trials before us, and this is one of mine. We must stay strong."
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<div>Her case highlights the extreme vulnerability of LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers within the U.S. immigration system and underscores the urgency of ensuring the protection of their rights, as recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international treaties proposed and ratified by the United States.
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<div>We urgently need your support to ensure Shakira has adequate legal representation to uphold her right to non-refoulement, as guaranteed under international human rights law.
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<div>Your donation, no matter the size, is critical. It will help cover legal fees and ensure that Shakira has legal representation. Every day, every hour matters.
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<div>Today, Shakira still holds on to hope. She firmly believes she can win her case, and so do we.
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<div>Please donate today and share this campaign
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<div>Español / Spanish:
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<div>Mi querida amiga Shakira es una mujer trans venezolana que fue arrestada por funcionarios de ICE el 15 de septiembre de 2025, tras salir de su audiencia en la Corte de Migración en Federal Plaza, Nueva York. Posteriormente, fue trasladada a un centro de detención en Luisiana. Su próxima audiencia preliminar está programada para esta semana; ella podría enfrentarse a un juicio expedito y ser devuelta a un país que no le garantiza el derecho a la vida.
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<div>Shakira llegó a Estados Unidos en mayo de 2024, huyendo de Venezuela, un país donde las personas trans y la comunidad LGBTQIA+ enfrentan discriminación sistemática, exclusión laboral, negación del derecho a la identidad de género, amenazas constantes y altos índices de asesinatos por odio que permanecen impunes. En busca de seguridad y dignidad, solicitó protección internacional y humanitaria.
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<div>Durante su más reciente audiencia, a pesar de que el juez ordenó la continuación de su caso, oficiales de ICE la arrestaron inmediatamente y la trasladaron a otro estado, dificultando su acceso a representación legal. Actualmente se encuentra en aislamiento, con recursos legales limitados. Shakira expresó:
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<div>"Dios nos pone muchas pruebas, y esta es una de las mías. Hay que ser fuertes."
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<div>Su situación refleja la extrema vulnerabilidad de las personas LGBTQIA+ solicitantes de asilo en el sistema de inmigración estadounidense y subraya la urgencia de garantizar la protección de sus derechos, conforme a la Declaración Universal de Derechos Humanos y a los tratados internacionales ratificados por Estados Unidos.
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<div>Necesitamos urgentemente tu apoyo para asegurar que Shakira cuente con representación legal adecuada, y que así se respete su derecho a la no devolución, contemplado en los instrumentos internacionales de derechos humanos.
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<div>Tu donación, grande o pequeña, es crucial. Ayudará a cubrir honorarios legales y garantizar que Shakira tenga representación legal. Cada día, cada hora, cuenta
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<div>Hoy, Shakira sigue con esperanza. Cree firmemente que puede ganar su caso, y nosotros también.
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<div>Dona hoy y comparte esta campaña
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Andres Veliz

Julia Zinn

Anonymous

Lennox Garmendia

Leslie Decatur

Olivia Buckley

Barbara Shepherd

Lora Adams

Elisabeth Ellor

Sandra Santana

Kelly Smith

Shakira in ICE Detention. Support her legal defense funds

Shakira in ICE Detention. Support her legal defense funds

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