Gay Russian Asylum Seekers Struggle in U.S. Custody

A same-sex couple from Russia, legally married and seeking refuge in America, has been stuck in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers almost a year now. While waiting on their asylum case decision, they've been separated and are struggling with significant medical issues.

The asylum journey: Andrei and Aleksandr's story

Andrei Ushakov and Aleksandr Skitsan left Russia on March 14, 2024, escaping a growing crackdown against LGBTQIA+ groups. The Russian government had started branding these organizations as 'extremist,' and Skitsan faced threats at work, pushing them urgently toward seeking safety elsewhere.

The U.S. State Department's 2023 human rights report underscores how Russian laws discriminate against 'non-traditional sexual relations,' often leading authorities there, particularly in areas like Chechnya, not only targeting but harassing LGBTQI+ people and activists.

Their bid: Seeking asylum in America

After arriving in Mexico on March 15, 2024, Andrei and Aleksandr used an app called CBP One, developed under Biden's administration, which let them schedule a meeting at a U.S. entry point. This ultimately happened on November 27, 2024, officially filing their asylum request.

Sadly, that app was dropped by Trump-Vance government on January 20, and upon entering U.S. custody, Andrei and Aleksandr were separated without explanation, as per América Divers, an LGBTQ immigrant advocacy group.

Life in detention: A harsh reality

Initially, Andrei found himself in California's Imperial Regional Detention Facility, where overcrowding and lackluster cleanliness were just part and parcel. Medical care was barely existent, according reports from América Divers.

Now moved again, this time both are in Arizona's San Luis Regional Detention Center. Communication between them? Completely forbidden, even though they're legally married and share their asylum case.

Andrei needs ongoing medication and consistent medical check-ups due chronic health conditions. But all they're getting are excuses and delays, leaving him hanging without essential medical attention. Aleksandr too suffers, with a chronic ear infection and stomach issues, but his sought-after medical help got canceled when he was transferred.

Advocacy and human rights: A tough battle

América Divers has been vocally critical about their detention, pointing out serious breaches in basic humanitarian and legal standards, both American and international. During a monitored call, Yonatan Matheus, their managing director, shared how Andrei expressed fear over their lack communication rights.

This isn't an isolated issue, though. The Trump-Vance administration has faced backlash regarding how it treats LGBTQ asylum seekers. Earlier, a gay Venezuelan makeup artist, Andry Hernández Romero, met a similar fate—deported and jailed in El Salvador before returning home after three months.

Another stark example includes Alice Correia Barbosa, a transgender woman from Brazil, seized in Maryland by ICE. Despite her gender identity, Homeland Security misgendered her, accusing her overstaying a visa by six years and planning her deportation back Brazil— a place known its high violence rates against transgender people.

ICE has kept silent so far on what's in store or what conditions are like inside detention centers holding Ushakov and Skitsan. The broader picture? LGBTQ asylum seekers still face daunting odds trying find safety and acceptance here in America.