Dutch organisations are receiving more and more migration requests from members of the American LGBTQ+ community, as Trump’s policies continue to threaten their rights.
The IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service) confirms that the number of Americans seeking asylum in the Netherlands has already surpassed last year’s total, AD shares.
Fleeing danger
The US now only recognises two genders, bans rainbow flags in government buildings, and has outlawed terms like “non-binary”, “transsexual”, and “gender identity”.
Even basic acts are becoming dangerous for the American trans community — Anne Ogborn from Trans Rescue warns that, “in many places, just using a public restroom is a crime”.
READ MORE: LGBTQ+ community at risk: The Netherlands issues new travel warnings for the US
What’s more, the US government now only allows passports where the gender stated matches the birth gender. This complicates travel and migration for transgender people.
Seeking asylum in the Netherlands
The IND’s strict rules for seeking asylum in the Netherlands mean the number of American applicants remains low, but it is rising.
20 requests have been counted already this year. In 2024, there were between nine and 18 total.
Voluntary group Transgender Network reports that half of the requests come from transgender people, and that this total could reach over 100 this year.
Alternative routes
Dozens of the American LGBTQ+ community are using alternative routes to the Netherlands.
Immigration specialist Wesley de Robles, from Immigration Netherlands Services, runs an organisation that helps American entrepreneurs obtain a Dutch residence permit through the DAFT (Dutch-American Friendship Treaty).
“Since Trump, we are getting some 30 requests every month, over half of which are from the LGBTQ+ community. Before Trump’s second term that was just a few, ” he explains.
Reputation at risk
The Netherlands’ renowned progressive image is under growing strain, despite being a strong draw for those seeking asylum.
READ MORE | Life in the Netherlands and the US: what stands out?
As more head for the Netherlands, advocates urge the Dutch government to revise asylum policies to reflect better the growing risks faced by queer and trans Americans.
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