OBA Sexual and Gender Diversity Alliance & Immigration Law PROGRAM
On Demand | Original Program Date: April 1, 2025

The U.S. President’s first suite of Executive Orders take aim at both refugees and trans people. This has left many 2SLGBTQIA+ Americans assessing options for leaving the U.S., and has placed many trans and gender diverse refugees in jeopardy of being returned to their home countries where they will be persecuted and face the risk of violence and death. Moreover, the suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admission Program has left a gap globally in terms of refugee resettlement options, creating a crisis for refugees worldwide.

These developments raise significant concerns for 2SLGBTQIA+ Americans and other individuals who have sought or are seeking asylum in the U.S. Join us to unravel the implications of this rollback of trans rights and what it means for Canadian immigration and refugee lawyers and their clients, including:

• What immigration programs or pathways are available to support trans individuals in the US?
• Implications for the Canada-US Safe Third Country Agreement
• How to support trans clients impacted by an increasingly hostile environment south of the border

PROGRAM CHAIRS

Aadil Mangalji, LM Law Group
Aaden Pearson, Canadian Civil Liberties Association

PROGRAM SPEAKERS

Adrienne Smith, Smith Immigration Law
Erin Simpson, Landings LLP