2024 Post-Election Statement
Dear Community,
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 stepped in to support LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. Our clients are survivors of domestic violence, community torture, and government persecution. We, alongside formidable partners, ensure that our clients secure long-term and permanent immigration status, obtain work authorization, reunify with their children, and thrive in the U.S.
Since 2017, we have directly supported over 2,700 queer and trans immigrants
In 2020, we sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to challenge two new rules issued by the Trump administration that delayed or eliminated work authorization for thousands of asylum seekers, and won
To date, we have filed 1,583 asylum cases and continue to hold a 99% success rate
Today, we acknowledge that there exists a collective grief but refuse to let it immobilize us. Immigrants and LGBTQ+ people know what it’s like to constantly have to fight for our right to exist and defend our dignity. We will not stop building bridges. Our shared vision propels us forward. We are grateful to everyone (funders, coalitions, mentors, allies) who has supported us these past seven years, through Republican and Democrat administrations, elected leaders who have tangibly harmed LGBTQ+ immigrants. In the weeks ahead, we will convene with our partners from around the country to strategize and take further action.
To our clients, staff, and communities—we see you, we stand with you, and we will continue to fight for you. One of our clients called us this morning to say:
“Thank You Oasis! Thank you for advocating for me. I am not as afraid as I was eight years ago. Now, I feel like I am free to seek options, like there is somewhere to look for information to get prepared for these next four years full of uncertainty.”
If you want to stand with Oasis and LGBTQ+ immigrants, here are ways to make a difference:
Donate to sustain our work
Volunteer as a pro bono attorney
Offer your services as a mental health evaluator or interpreter
Make an introduction and invite a peer or colleague to subscribe to our newsletter
Advocate fiercely for LGBTQ+ immigrants in your communities
Take the time you need to breathe and regroup, and then join us in fighting for a just world.
In solidarity,
Adam Ryan Chang
Executive Director
