While we wish we could help everyone who reaches out to us, our capacity is limited by our resources and the legal complexities and constraints of international refugee law and travel.
Limitations of our Work
Rainbow Railroad’s mission is to help LGBTQI+ individuals abroad facing persecution get to safety. Since our founding in 2006, we’ve supported more than 18,500 queer and trans people who have been forcibly displaced from their homes due to violence or persecution based on their sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics. The world is facing the most significant forced displacement crisis in history, with fewer and fewer opportunities for refugees and asylum seekers to access safety. LGBTQI+ people are particularly vulnerable when humanitarian protections constrict.
While we wish we could help everyone who reaches out to us, our capacity is limited by our resources and the legal complexities and constraints of international refugee law and travel. These barriers prevent us from resettling at-risk individuals from countries like the U.S., where conditions for LGBTQI+ people do not meet the criteria for asylum.
With the recent re-election of Trump and the new administration’s proposed anti-LGBTQI+ and anti-immigration policies, we understand the fear and anxiety U.S. residents are experiencing. While we may not be able to relocate U.S. individuals, we have identified the following U.S.-based resources and organizations that provide support for LGBTQI+ Americans:
- All Family Legal: Offers practical guidance on steps LGBTQI+ individuals and families can take in preparation for January 2025, including information on marriage, parentage, fertility, identity documents, and more.
- Transgender Law Center: A guide for updating federal identity documents to match your gender identity.
- Advocates For Trans Equality: A resource for those needing to update their name and/or gender marker on immigration documents.
- Trans Lifeline: A compilation of support resources for trans and queer folks navigating post-election grief, fear, and anxiety.
- The Trevor Project: A guide to building community and finding support following the elections.
Now more than ever, we must come together as a community and as allies to defend what we have fought so hard to achieve and push forward where progress has been threatened. In the coming days, we’ll share details about our current priorities and planned actions in the U.S., and how you can get involved.
The time is always now to act with compassion, uphold justice, and foster inclusive policies.