1. RISING THREATS IN THE UNITED STATES In 2022, the United States emerged at #8 on our list of countries where the highest number of requests for assistance originate. Notably, a significant number of these requests were received in the days following June 24, 2022, when the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, suggesting that the withdrawal of the federal right to abortion provoked broader fears about threats to human rights. While the majority of the requests from the US in 2022 originated from US citizens (60%), 40% of requests were from nationals of 42 other countries, mainly requesting assistance in making asylum claims in the US.
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INSIGHTS. In this section, we share five key insights that will further elucidate the issues captured in the data. Some of these key themes include rising threats in the United States, which remains an important country of resettlement, the increasing trend of South-South migration which de-centers a colonial understanding of the Global North as the sole site of refuge and safety, our strong partnerships with human rights defenders in criminalized countries which power our casework and advocacy, as well as the movement restrictions and barriers to seek asylum which result in forced mobility of LGBTQI+ people at risk due to limited pathways to safety. This context is critical for understanding how we do our work, what solutions we see emerging in the future and which priority challenges we need to tackle through advocacy and programmatic response.
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R AINBOW R AILROAD | 2022 ANNUAL REPORT
Rainbow Railroad affirms the United States as a global leader in refugee resettlement and advocates for increased resettlement of refugees to this country, including LGBTQI+ refugees. However, it is critical to recognize that, like many other countries around the world, there are significant regional and local inequalities in access to safety for LGBTQI+ persons across the United States. Although the Respect for Marriage Act protects marriage equality at a federal level, 2022 saw state legislatures introduce 315 discriminatory anti-LGBTQI+ bills. Although only 29 passed into law, this represents the largest wave of anti-LGBTQI+ legislation in recent US history.11 Anti-LGBTQI+ measures introduced in the US last year sought to criminalize parents for providing gender-affirming care for their transgender children, to bar transgender children from using bathrooms and locker rooms that aligned with their gender identity, and to censor classroom discussions on LGBTQI+ issues. One trans man who reached out to Rainbow Railroad expressed his fears at the worsening situation for the LGBTQI+ community, stating, “You may have heard of the rising tide of anti-trans bills being proposed — and passing — in courts across the US. This tide is only getting worse, and
" This tide is only getting worse, and I’m so desperate to relocate somewhere safe, where I can be myself without fear.” INSIGHTS
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