Transgender woman from Middle East with withholding of removal remains detained under threat of deportation to undisclosed country
Fall 2025·Location: United States

Fatima, a transgender woman, fled a Middle Eastern country after years of rape and violent abuse tied to her gender identity. She was raped by an employer, physically assaulted multiple times by police, and attacked more than thirty times by private actors, including two brutal group assaults that left her unconscious and caused lasting neurological and physical injuries. While transiting through Mexico, she was kidnapped, held in inhumane conditions, and deprived of food and water until her family paid a ransom. In the fall of 2025, she won withholding of removal in U.S. immigration court. She remains detained under threat of imminent deportation to an undisclosed third country. Despite repeated requests from her attorney, ICE has refused to identify where she may be sent and has refused to release her. She suffers from serious medical conditions related to past violence, including a traumatic brain injury, but has been denied adequate medical care in detention.
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