Melissa, a transgender woman from Iran, fled severe persecution including rape and an attempted murder by a family member. After arriving in the U.S. in January 2025 to seek asylum, she was detained by ICE and initially denied access to asylum under a 2025 Presidential Proclamation. Although she passed a screening with an asylum officer establishing she was more likely than not to be tortured if returned to Iran, ICE attempted to deport her to Kuwait and Qatar — countries where LGBTQ people face criminalization, severe abuse, and in some cases the death penalty. Only after extensive advocacy by her legal counsel was she permitted to pursue asylum. She ultimately won protection and was released from detention.