At the Margins on the Border: On the Experiences of Trans and Indigenous Women Seeking Asylum

The fact that particular social groups (PSGs) are a protected class under United States Asylum law is well known and accepted. However, in going through the asylum process, not all PSGs are treated equally. In particular, trans women and indigenous women from Central America face special challenges in seeking asylum that mainstream asylum seekers do not face, including linguistic isolation in detention, lack of access to translators, lack of medical access, and complicated legal issues at both the credible fear and the asylum stage. This panel seeks to highlight those experiences with an eye towards awareness of the issues and the strategies that lawyers and legal activists are taking to best advocate for women who fall into these PSGs and the steps that are being taken to help these women advocate for themselves.

Panelists: Atenas Burrola, Researcher, Human Rights Watch; Allegra Love, Executive Director, Santa Fe Dreamers Project; Caya Simonsen, Former Volunteer Coordinator, Dilley Pro Bono Project.

Cosponsored by the American Constitution Society.