{"id":486,"date":"2025-05-29T16:15:55","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T16:15:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/?page_id=486"},"modified":"2025-08-15T14:59:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T14:59:11","slug":"a-guide-for-lgbtqi-asylum-seekers-crossing-the-canada-u-s-border","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/index.php\/a-guide-for-lgbtqi-asylum-seekers-crossing-the-canada-u-s-border\/","title":{"rendered":"A GUIDE FOR                            LGBTQI+ Asylum Seekers Crossing the Canada-U.S. Border"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Amid growing legal uncertainty and rising anti-LGBTQI+ policies in the United States, many individuals are considering seeking asylum in Canada. This toolkit supports <strong>LGBTQI+ individuals<\/strong> who are exploring the possibility of entering <strong>Canada from the U.S<\/strong>. It provides accessible information on the asylum process, with special focus on the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) and its exceptions, which govern so much asylum-seeking today, along with a curated list of legal, housing, health, and community support services. The toolkit also includes maps showing land ports of entry along the Canada\u2013U.S. border, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) offices, social service providers, and Pride centres. By disseminating information and location-based resources, our toolkit aims to equip LGBTQI+ asylum seekers with helpful tools to navigate their journeys.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Legal Disclosure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The information in this guide is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration and refugee law, especially at the Canada\u2013U.S. border, is complex and varies case by case. <strong>We strongly recommend that you consult a <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cba.org\/public\/immigrating-to-canada\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">licensed immigration lawyer<\/a><strong> or accredited legal representative before taking any action.<\/strong> Haven is not a legal clinic and does not staff lawyers. As such, we are unable to provide legal advice. Using this guide does not create a lawyer-client relationship, and we are not responsible for any decisions made based on its contents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Safe-Haven-Toolkit-FINAL.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of Safe Haven Toolkit [FINAL].\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-8de463e7-ffe4-4e1b-a9c9-6c7bf2664417\" href=\"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Safe-Haven-Toolkit-FINAL.pdf\">Safe Haven Toolkit [FINAL]<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Safe-Haven-Toolkit-FINAL.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-8de463e7-ffe4-4e1b-a9c9-6c7bf2664417\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Data Structure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The toolkit is compiled as a live PDF with embedded hyperlinks to Haven\u2019s website and resources across Canada and the U.S.. We strived to make it accessible by presenting the asylum-seeking process in chronological order <strong>with visual and text-based information. <\/strong>The maps in the PDF toolkit were created using QGIS, while the interactive map was created on Google Maps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Data Source<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our data is sourced from various government and organizational websites. The <strong>Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) <\/strong>and<strong> Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) <\/strong>provide information on asylum claim processes. They also provided the spatial data for the locations of IRCC offices, CBSA offices, and land ports of entry. We consulted official statements and policy updates from the <strong>White House<\/strong> to reflect recent changes in the U.S. immigration policy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We drew on analysis from media and nonprofit organizations, including the <strong><em>Gazette<\/em><\/strong><em> <\/em>and <strong><em>Nonprofit Quarterly.<\/em><\/strong><em> <\/em>For guidance on the asylum-seeking process, we referred to resources developed by advocacy organizations such as the <strong>Canada Border Clinic, Kinbrace, and the BC Refugee Hub.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The structure and content of this toolkit were inspired by materials from <strong>Kinbrace, the BC Refugee Hub, the Canadian Council for Refugees, the FCJ Refugee Centre, and the Canadian Bar Association<\/strong>, among others.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Resource Map<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/u\/0\/embed?mid=1Ycmn2RnXbPcceYpjzie8sCQDumshNyA&#038;ehbc=2E312F\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:57px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Information Cards<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"419\" height=\"297\" src=\"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Information-Card-English.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-595\" style=\"width:314px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Information-Card-English.jpg 419w, https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Information-Card-English-300x213.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 419px) 100vw, 419px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Information-Card-English.pdf\">Information Card [English]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Tarjeta-de-Informacion-Spanish.pdf\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Tarjeta-de-Informacion-Spanish.pdf\">Tarjeta de Informaci\u00f3n [SPANISH]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Farsi-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AA%DB%8C.pdf\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Farsi-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AA%DB%8C.pdf\">\u06a9\u0627\u0631\u062a \u0627\u0637\u0644\u0627\u0639\u0627\u062a\u06cc [FARSI]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:8px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">References <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Works-Cited.pdf\">Click to View<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Amid growing legal uncertainty and rising anti-LGBTQI+ policies in the United States, many individuals are considering seeking asylum in Canada. This toolkit supports LGBTQI+ individuals who are exploring the possibility of entering Canada from the U.S. It provides accessible information on the asylum process, with special focus on the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) and&hellip;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/index.php\/a-guide-for-lgbtqi-asylum-seekers-crossing-the-canada-u-s-border\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Read More &raquo;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">A GUIDE FOR                            LGBTQI+ Asylum Seekers Crossing the Canada-U.S. Border<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-486","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/486","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=486"}],"version-history":[{"count":37,"href":"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/486\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":816,"href":"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/486\/revisions\/816"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/haven.utsc.utoronto.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=486"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}