Washington College of Law Research Paper

"Among the thousands of migrants who are detained by states each year, those who are perhaps most vulnerable to human rights violations are oftentimes invisible within the immigration systems: LGBTI detainees. Human rights violations perpetrated against these individuals, who may be targeted during their detention as a result of their sexual orientation or gender identity, are made all the more egregious since many LGBTI detainees in immigration detention chose to migrate from their countries of origin as a result of persecution faced specifically due to their sexual orientation or gender identity." This article covers: the detention of irregular migrants and effects on LGBTI populations-factors contributing to LGBTI migration, expanding practice of immigration detention, and international human rights law and immigration detention; identification of LGBTI migrants; and specific protection gaps faced by LGBTI migrants-physical violence, sexual abuse, and aftereffects of violence, social isolation and segregation, barriers to medical care, and the high degree of trauma-related mental health issues.