Transgender Asylum Seekers Face Mistreatment and Abuse in ICE Detention

As many across the country remain horrified by the tear-gassing of migrants seeking asylum within the United States, we also learned of the mistreatment and abuse faced by transgender asylum seekers through the details of one woman’s tragic and avoidable death.

Roxsana Hernandez, a transgender woman fleeing violence in Honduras, was beaten while in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to a newly released autopsy. After entering the country in May, she was held in ICE custody and denied adequate medical care, leading to her death by dehydration and prolonged lack of treatment for HIV. The Transgender Law Center recently helped file a wrongful death lawsuit over Roxsana’s death. Read more...