CHICAGO — Tere, a 39-year-old transgender migrant from Venezuela, came to Chicago in 2023 to escape brutal anti-LGBTQ+ violence in her home country. She found safety, gender-affirming health care, and a job — but now fears it could all be ripped away under renewed deportation efforts and anti-trans policies from the new Trump administration.

“I came to this country to start a new life because of the human rights protections we have here,” she said. “But with the rules established by the new president, I feel things in the country are very tough now.”

Tere, whose asylum application is still pending, says she’s terrified of being detained or deported. She entered legally through the CBP One app under Biden-era immigration protocols, and now faces uncertainty as those protections are rolled back.

Surviving Violence, Searching for Dignity

In Venezuela, Tere says she faced harassment, threats, and was nearly sexually assaulted at 25. After failed attempts to find peace in Colombia and Peru, she undertook the dangerous journey across the Darién Gap and eventually reached the U.S.–Mexico border.

But even after arriving in Chicago, her struggle wasn’t over. She initially slept at O’Hare Airport for weeks while waiting for shelter, then endured discrimination in a city-run facility.

“One time, I was going to the women’s bathroom and a staffer told me I shouldn’t be there,” she recalled. “I said, ‘Don’t you see that I am a female?’”

Building a Life in Chicago, Under Threat

Tere now lives in a small apartment on the South Side and works a cleaning job at a North Side nursing home. Her job helped her buy furniture, and she has access to HIV treatment and hormone therapy.

Still, workplace hostility remains. She recently filed a union complaint after coworkers began calling her by her deadname and making her feel unsafe.

“It’s like President Trump is giving people permission to mistreat those who are different,” she said.

Tere avoids the news, afraid of seeing new headlines about ICE arrests and deportation sweeps in Chicago.

Trans Rights, Immigration Protections Rolled Back

Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has reinstated several executive orders that impact both transgender rights and immigration policy:

• Banning transgender military service

• Defunding gender-affirming care for youth

• Requiring male/female-only federal recognition

• Expanding fast-track deportations and detention policies

• Threatening to send National Guard into sanctuary cities like Chicago

Health advocates warn that cuts to healthcare funding could also endanger access to medication for migrants like Tere.

A Life in Limbo

Tere’s story reflects the experience of many migrants — legal or otherwise — who sought asylum, safety, and dignity in Chicago. Now, that sense of security is evaporating under an administration prioritizing strict immigration enforcement and gender policy rollbacks.

“I’ve had to be strong. I’ve had to fight alone,” she said. “Now I’m really scared. But I leave it in God’s hands.”

Do you believe Chicago and Illinois should strengthen protections for vulnerable migrants like Tere? Share your voice and explore local advocacy at ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.