THE QUEER IMMIGRANT IN THE UNITED STATES: FROM IMMIGRATION TO INTEGRATION

The LGBTQ+ immigrant community faces barriers in leaving their country of origin, immigrating to a new country, and integrating into their new community. This paper examines reasons for LGBTQ+ flight, describes the historical treatment of LGBTQ+ migrants in the U.S., analyzes the current barriers and resources for queer migrants during their immigration journey, and provides recommendations on moving forward in the policy and organizational landscape. Results from the investigation show that the LGBTQ+ migrant continues to face barriers during every step of their immigration and integration, most of which are not entirely mitigated by organizational or government resources. As a result, this research emphasizes the need for the United States federal government to draft policies that protect queer migrants and address their unique integration needs.  Political Science, Department ofHonors Colleg