A Canadian judge just halted the deportation of a non-binary American in a landmark ruling that could set a huge precedent for trans and non-binary U.S. citizens seeking refuge in Canada amidst the Trump administration’s continuing attacks on LGBTQ2S+ people and their rights.
This week, federal justice Julie Blackhawk ruled that Angel Jenkel, a 24-year-old multimedia artist from Minnesota who is engaged to a Canadian, can remain in Canada while their case is judicially reviewed, rather than being sent right back to America. The story was first reported by the Globe and Mail.
Blackhawk said that the immigration officer who carried out Jenkel’s pre-removal risk assessment ahead of their deportation had a flawed approach and “failed to consider the conditions in the U.S. for trans and non-binary individuals when assessing the risk of being returned.”
Translation: the immigration officer didn’t factor in how dangerous America is to trans and non-binary people right now.
We break down how this could set a massive precedent when it comes to trans and non-binary people seeking refuge in Canada from the United States.
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