U.S. Deports Gay Asylum Seeker to Country Where Homosexuality Is Illegal

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The United States has deported a 21-year-old gay asylum seeker from Morocco to Cameroon, a country where homosexuality is criminalized. The woman, identified as Farah, fled Morocco after suffering family violence related to her sexual orientation and was detained for nearly a year before being denied asylum and deported. Advocates say this case illustrates an evolving and dangerous approach to LGBTQ+ asylum claims by the Trump administration, which has used third-country removal policies to send migrants to nations where they face persecution.

Why it matters

This case highlights ongoing concerns about the U.S. government's treatment of LGBTQ+ asylum seekers, who often face grave dangers if deported to countries where homosexuality is illegal. Critics argue that the use of third-country removal policies exploits legal loopholes and undermines the protections that U.S. law and international agreements are supposed to guarantee.

The details

After arriving at the U.S. border seeking protection, Farah was detained for nearly a year and ultimately denied asylum. Despite an immigration judge's order preventing her deportation to Morocco, federal authorities placed her on a flight to Cameroon, where same-sex intimacy is also illegal. Farah is now back in Morocco, living in hiding and fearful for her safety. Lawyers say Farah is among dozens of migrants confirmed to have been deported under so-called third-country removal policies, in which the U.S. sends people to nations with which they have no meaningful ties.

• In August 2025, an immigration judge issued a protection order preventing Farah's deportation to Morocco.
• Despite the protection order, federal authorities placed Farah on a flight to Cameroon in August 2025.