My name is Jorge and I currently live in Southern California. It is an honor for me to share my story of how receiving support from Oasis’ wonderful team completely changed my life.

Read our post, written by former Oasis client, Jorge.

Oasis Executive Director Adam Ryan Chang caught up with Jesus A. Barrios from TCC Group, one of our partners to talk about the impact of U.S. immigration enforcement laws, policies, and practices beyond individual lives, and within organizational and systemic levels. Read the conversation on how together we are showing up in this moment for LGBTQ+ immigrants to best meet their needs.  

Join us in celebrating 8 years of Oasis’ fight for queer & trans immigrant justice!

At a time when ICE violence is constant and when anti-LGBTQ+ laws continue to threaten the lives and safety of queer people in the U.S., gathering in joy is resistance in itself. Liberation doesn’t just sound like defiance; it sounds like laughter, like music–like us.

This Pride and Immigrant Heritage Month, please stand with LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. Our “Pride in Asylum” campaign builds a freer future for all, through the power of community.

The demand for LGBTQ+ immigration services in California remains at an all-time high, yet our ability to meet this growing need is increasingly threatened by funding instability. Unfortunately, the ripple effects of the current administration’s policies have been felt across so many of our foundation partnerships.

As we step into spring, we invite you to reflect on a year of resilience and advocacy by reading through our 2024 Annual Impact Report, which showcases the strides we’ve made in empowering queer and trans immigrants.

Estamos comprometidos a compartir recursos sobre derechos de inmigrantes LGBTQ+. Esta publicación contiene una lista de recursos, recopilados de varias fuentes creíbles, que incluyen:

Interacciones Con ICE; Líneas Directas Para Reportar Actividad de ICE; Directorio De Organizaciones Legales De Inmigración; Derechos De Protesta Para Inmigrantes; Planes De Preparación Familiar; Tarjetas Rojas De Derechos (Para Imprimir); Fotos de Documentos que ICE Puede Mostrarle (Orden de Registro); Cómo Ser un Aliado Siendo Ciudadano Estadounidense

Estamos empenhados em compartilhar recursos para imigrantes LGBTQ+. Esta postagem contém uma lista consolidada de recursos, coletados de diversas fontes confiáveis, incluindo:

Interações com o ICE; Linhas diretas de resposta rápida para pedir ajuda ou relatar atividades do ICE; Diretório de serviços jurídicos de imigração; O direito de protestar como imigrante; Criando Planos de Preparação Familiar; Direitos de imigração para impressão (cartões vermelhos); Documentos que o ICE pode mostrar (mandado de busca); Como ser um aliado como cidadão dos EUA

By the simple coincidence of their parentage and birthplace, our Immigration Pathways Program Director, Ari Jones, is a U.S. citizen. Their privilege, and analysis of their experiences in the arbitrary U.S. immigration system is what inspired them to pursue immigration law. At Oasis, Ari leads our program, helping LGBTQ+ immigrants to obtain their residency, citizenship and reunite with their families. Read more about their background and the light they bring to Oasis.

On January 20, 2025, the Trump administration issued an Executive Order targeting transgender, nonbinary, and intersex communities. Oasis Legal Services, in collaboration with Immigration Equality and National Immigrant Justice Center, published an FAQ which provides initial guidance on how the Executive Order will impact U.S. passports and various immigration documents (such as work permits, green cards, refugee travel documents, and naturalization certificates) for transgender, nonbinary, and intersex individuals.

We are committed to empowering LGBTQ+ immigrants by openly sharing information about their rights. This post contains a consolidated list of resources, gathered from several credible sources, including:

Interactions with ICE; Rapid Response Hotlines to Call for Help or Report ICE Activity; Immigration Legal Services Directory; The Right to Protest as an Immigrant; Creating Family Preparedness Plans; Printable Immigration Rights (Red Cards); Documents ICE Might Show (Search Warrant); How to Be an Ally as a U.S. Citizen

In January 2019, the Department of Homeland Security issued the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as “Remain in Mexico.” The policy required asylum seekers, including LGBTQ people fleeing persecution, to wait in Mexico until their hearing date, subjecting them to life-threatening conditions, including sexual and physical assault, torture, kidnapping, death threats, and murder. Read our joint statement with of Immigration Equality, Oasis Legal Services, the Council for Global Equality, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, and the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund.

Oasis is currently looking for law student interns for the 2025 summer who are passionate about immigrants’ rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and providing legal services to underrepresented communities. Interns are eligible for a $7500 stipend for their work during summer made possible by the State Bar of California Legal Services Trust Fund Commission’s (LSTFC) Legal Aid Leaders Fellowship Grants.

As fires continue to impact our state, we would like to share some information that may be helpful to nonprofits operating in affected areas during this difficult time. We are sharing 8 grants that nonprofits can apply for to support themselves and their communities.

Anuar Arriaga-Esquivel, one of our Asylum Legal Advocates and a DOJ Accredited Representative, spoke to ABC30 about ICE and Border Patrol sightings in the Central Valley. Unfortunately, as we approach the presidential inauguration on January 20, there's concern over immigrants getting detained and deported. Read ahead about what to do during interactions with ICE and Border Patrol.

Today, we are excited to celebrate the final regulation issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) extending work permits for 540 days. This permanent extension of work permits will help hundreds of thousands of immigrants, including asylum seekers, refugees, green card applicants, and many more people who were previously at risk of losing their work authorization because of processing delays.

Trump’s administration threatens to place undocumented LGBTQ+ immigrants and asylum seekers at significant risk of deportation and forced into life-threatening conditions. Donating to Oasis by December 31, 2024, will help us ensure that our team has sufficient resources to complete a significant amount of casework to protect as many LGBTQ+ immigrants as possible from potential deportation and harm.

With Trump preparing to take office as president of the United States, fears and anxieties rise within LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities. Several organizations, including Oasis, have taken steps to ensure that community members obtain relief, or at least a bit more protection, prior to the new administration. Director of Programs & Advocacy, Rachel Kafele, was interviewed by ABC30 News - KFSN Fresno and Central Valley News, to highlight what Oasis is doing in the moment to protect queer and trans asylum seekers.

Today, we spoke to Eric, our Social Services Program Director, who shared what brought him to Oasis and the things that bring him joy, even as his work is often heavy. Through the challenges and rewards of his journey, he shares with us his vision for the future.

Oasis was founded in 2017 to be a sanctuary for queer and trans immigrants. Fear of deportation, uncertainty around evolving immigration policies, rising xenophobia and nationalism, homophobic and transphobic violence have put our clients in harm’s way. In the face of adversity, our team has always stepped in to support LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. Today, we acknowledge that there exists a collective grief but refuse to let it immobilize us.

We will not stop building bridges.

Our shared vision propels us forward.

Today, we're spotlighting Julia Mejia-Moreno, one of Oasis’ Asylum Legal Advocates, whose own connection to the immigrant experience drives her to support LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. We’re thrilled to have Julia on our team and grateful for the passion and heart she brings to Oasis each day.

Today, the Ninth Circuit largely affirmed a lower court decision that held unlawful the government’s systematic turnbacks – or “metering” – of people seeking asylum at ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border. The court’s decision sends a clear message: it’s time for humane and respectful treatment for all those seeking safety at our borders. While this ruling is positive, we know that under the Biden administration, the government’s turnback practices have evolved and expanded. Read more about the implications of this decision.

Pro Bono Week is an opportunity to express our deep gratitude to the firms and attorneys who help us expand our capacity to serve the LGBTQ+ immigrant community. As one of the few organizations providing accessible legal services to queer and trans immigrants, we rely on our incredible network of pro bono partners who share their time, expertise, and passion for queer and trans immigrant justice.

At Oasis, our Asylum Program plays a crucial role in providing legal support to LGBTQ+ immigrants navigating the complexities of the U.S. asylum process. Leading this program is one of Oasis’ founders, Maria Elena Paniagua (Mari), whose dedication to both her clients and her team drives the success of our biggest legal program. In this blog, we explore the challenges and rewards of her role, as well as the personal passions that keep her grounded and inspired.

In this interview, we delve into our Asylum Legal Advocate, Anuar's personal and professional journey—what drives him, the challenges and successes he’s encountered, and the joy he finds in woodworking and his favorite Portuguese songs. Through his story, we gain a deeper understanding of the profound impact that lived experience can have on advocacy and the importance of humanizing the asylum process.

This blog post reviews some common support needs of transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) newcomers and discusses how you can be an affirming provider. It addresses client needs related to health, welcoming, and social services, and provides detailed information on legal concerns. This blog was informed by the experiences and contributions of Ari Jones, Oasis' Residency & Naturalization Programs Director; Abby Davies and Jamie Sgarro from InReach; Max Niedzwiecki of the Episcopal Migration Ministries’ Rainbow Initiative; Anita Fábos of Clark University; and Craig Mortley of the University of Connecticut School of Social Work.

As a result of the current immigration climate and displacement of people around the world, immigration providers in California are unable to keep up with the demand for legal services. For providers who serve LGBTQ+ clients, capacity is further stretched. We are happy to introduce Celia Meredith, our new Asylum Legal Fellow! Celia will expand our ability to support LGBTQ+ asylum seekers who qualify for affirmative asylum and have a need for immediate representation.

For the first time in Oasis history, we have social services interns working out of our Fresno office! Our Social Services program was officially created in 2021, and while we’ve always supported clients from the Central Valley, our office in Fresno didn’t open until 2022. Since then, we’ve been growing our Fresno team, and this year, we welcomed our first pair of Social Services interns. Meet them in this blog!

Navigating a new country can be challenging for anyone, but for LGBTQ+ newcomers, the journey often comes with unique complexities. This blog post addresses key legal concerns for LGBTQ+ newcomers. It covers topics such as confidentiality, document updates, and referral strategies to help service providers better support LGBTQ+ clients. 

Oasis has a close relationship with the community we serve because our staff largely reflects the identities of our clients—LGBTQ+ individuals who come from immigrant families, or who are immigrants themselves. Our Executive Director, Adam Ryan Chang, is no exception. In this interview, Adam dives deep into the experiences that shaped him and his passion as he leads Oasis on the quest to bring light into our clients’ lives, the same way Adam found his.