Dutch LGBTQIA+. Credits: Fransa, Pexels
Several reports show that dozens of LGBTQIA+ Americans have fled to the Netherlands since Donald Trump began his second term as US president.
This surge appears to be driven by fear of increasingly repressive laws targeting US gender identity and trans rights.
Dutch Asylum Requests and Residential Applications
In the first three months of 2025, 20 Americans have sought asylum in the Netherlands, exceeding the annual total seen in the past few years. According to the transgender network, about half of these are transgender. NL times.
However, due to the strict conditions of asylum in the Netherlands, many have turned to other legal routes. The Dutch American Friendship Treaty (DAFT), which provides residency to US entrepreneurs, has also seen a dramatic increase in applications.
“Since Trump, we have received about 30 requests per month, with more than half of them coming from the LGBTQIA+ community,” said Wesley De Robles of the Immigration and Dutch Service. advertisement.
Before Trump took office, there were only a few DAFT-based applications per month from LGBTQIA+ Americans.
Trump’s attitude towards LGBTQIA+
Since taking office in January 2025, the Trump administration has implemented a series of anti-LGBTQIA+ measures, including:
- Recognize only two genders (male and female)
- Prohibition of rainbow flags from government buildings
- Draining funds for transgender youth healthcare
- Prohibiting terms such as “non-binary” and “gender identity” in federal debate
- Restrict your passport to show only the gender assigned at birth
Some US states are moving further. For example, Arkansas is considering a bill that would prohibit hairstyles that “do not match” genders assigned at birth. NL times.
Despite the increased demand for asylum, Majolaine Faber, the Minister of Asylum Immigrants PVV Party in exile, rejected the call to loosen the rules. In response to a letter from LGBT Asylum Support, she said:
“Trump’s policy doesn’t give you any reason to assume that trans people should be afraid of persecution,” quoted NL times.
However, LGBTQIA+ rights groups do not agree. Anne Ogborn from Trans Rescue warned:
“In many places, simply using public toilets is considered a crime.”
She added: “The storm is brewed. Transgender Americans come here because of the Dutch reputation of being at the forefront of tolerance and gay rights.”
Planned protests in Amsterdam
The protest is planned on Saturday, April 19th at 1pm in front of the US Consulate in Amsterdam’s Mu Soupline. Although it is currently closed for renovations, the demonstrations are organized by Americans living in the Netherlands.
While not specific about LGBTQIA+ rights, the protests target a wider “breaking out of due process rights” by the US government following reports that immigrants were detained and sent to “brutal prisons in El Salvador.” NL times.
Check out all the news from the Netherlands.
