Navigating multiple marginalizations: the intersectional struggle of LGBTQ+ immigrants and the role of grassroots movements in the fight for justice in the U.S.

This study seeks to investigate how the evolving landscape of United States immigration policies has affected legal rights and social conditions of LGBTQ+ immigrants, whose intersection of traits such as immigration status, gender identity, and sexual orientation further exacerbate their precarious condition. Specifically, the research questions of this work aim to comprehend the historical and contemporary treatments of LGBTQ+ immigrants’ rights within the U.S. immigration system, as well as how federal regulations have impacted their lived experience and inflicted harassment in areas like as asylum, deportation, and basic services. In this research a variety of material has been gathered from geographical journals, as well as from pertinent paperwork and juridical documents. The bibliography includes contemporary evaluation of the regulations enacted during Trump and Biden administrations, providing a recent perspective on how political change have impacted LGBTQ+ immigrants in the U.S. during the 21st century. These resources have allowed to gain a deeper understanding of the critical insights into the struggles confronted by LGBTQ+ immigrants in the country, with an emphasis on the intersection between their legal rights and legal restrictions. The research explores the historical marginalization of LGBTQ+ immigrants, the impact of legal decisions such as Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), and the role of intersectionality in comprehending their unique struggles. Regional disparities between Republican-led Southern jurisdictions and Democratic-leaning Northern ones show how geography influences the legal and socio-political realities of LGBTQ+ immigrants. The analysis then shifts to the contrasting policies of Trump and Biden presidencies, focusing on the former’s restricting immigration and anti-LGBTQ+ regulations, including Zero Tolerance Policy (2018) and Migrant Protection Protocols (2019), and on the latter’s failure to implement laws which would have counteracted the previous administration’s conservative stance. The analysis further examines the impact that the second term of Trump presidency will have in the following months, specifically considering conservative initiatives such as Project 2025. In this socio-political context, grassroots movements, such as Rainbow Railroad, ORAM, and the Arcus Foundation, have emerged as important actors at the forefront of the fight of LGBTQ+ immigrants’ rights, providing legal aid, housing, and political lobbying. Such organizations employ transnational social networks and bottom-up approaches to advocate for federal laws and establish a more inclusive environment. This study highlights the need for a more equitable national framework which ensures equal guarantees for LGBTQ+ immigrants in the United States to create a more uniform national legal landscape, decrease geographical disparities, and foster a cultural shift towards social integration and human rights protections.