Date April 20, 2025 | By TruthWire.News Staff
WHO: Transgender Americans, Canadian immigration lawyers, Rainbow Railroad
WHAT: Surge in asylum inquiries due to U.S. stance on trans policies
WHERE: Canada, with a focus on Toronto-based law firms
WHEN: Spiking since Executive Order 14168 in January 2025
WHY: Fear of persecution under Trump administration’s trans policies
Sources: Toronto Today; Rainbow Railroad; PinkNews; X; CTV News
Transgender Americans are flooding Canadian law firms w inquires seeking asylum in Canada, driven by fears of persecution under new U.S. policies. Canadian immigration lawyers and advocacy groups report a dramatic spike in inquiries, following President Trump’s January 20, 2025 signing of Executive Order 14168, which defines gender strictly as a male-female binary based on biological sex at birth.
Toronto-based immigration attorney Adrienne Smith told Toronto Today that her firm receives up to 10 calls a day from transgender Americans seeking inquiry’s. “They’re scared, and they have reason to be,” Smith said, pointing to EO 14168’s erasure of federal recognition for transgender identities. The order also prohibits gender self-identification on federal documents and cuts funding for gender-affirming care, intensifying fears among the community [Source: Toronto Today].
Rainbow Railroad, a Toronto- and New York-based nonprofit, reported an 1100% increase in U.S.-based requests for resettlement in 2025, with 1,200 inquiries on Election Day alone—the highest single-day total from any country. The group is now advocating for Canada to exempt transgender, non-binary, and intersex individuals from the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA), which prevents U.S. citizens from claiming asylum at the Canadian border. “The U.S. is no longer safe for some of its LGBTQ+ citizens,” Rainbow Railroad stated, citing the heightened risks of detention and discrimination under Trump’s policies [Source: Rainbow Railroad].
The fear is evident on X, where users share personal stories and frustrations. One trans woman, unable to update her passport due to EO 14168, expressed terror of detention, while another user noted a trans person considering fleeing Florida for Canada, unable to sleep since Trump’s inauguration. Advocates on X report that Canadian lawyers are overwhelmed, with some noting daily calls from transgender Americans desperate for safety. However, the STCA remains a significant barrier, often forcing claimants back to the U.S., as one user highlighted on X.
Legal experts note that while asylum claims from a democratic nation like the U.S. are uncommon, the trend reflects growing vulnerability among transgender Americans. Canada’s Immigration Minister Marc Miller has maintained that the U.S. remains a “safe country” for LGBTQ+ individuals, a stance that has drawn criticism from advocates who argue it ignores the real dangers faced by trans people under Trump’s administration.
Sentiment on X is polarized. While advocates push for Canada to suspend the STCA and offer refuge, some MAGA supporters celebrate the exodus as a policy win, with one user calling it “another W for MAGA” and suggesting Canada should “deal with them”. This divide underscores the broader tension between U.S. policy shifts and Canada’s role as a potential safe haven.
The surge in inquiries raises questions about whether Canada’s policies—like the STCA—can adapt to emerging human rights challenges. As the debate continues, transgender Americans remain caught in a precarious limbo, seeking safety across the border.
Truthwire.news will continue to follow this developing story and its impact on U.S.-Canada relations.
ydyoht