Gay, HIV-positive Russian asylum seeker detained by US immigration
An out gay, HIV-positive asylum seeker has been detained in a US detention centre for more than a month.
Denis Davydov arrived in the US from Russia back in 2014, and despite overstaying on a tourist visa, had applied for political asylum within a 1-year deadline.
But the 30-year-old has now been detained in an ICE detention centre for more than a month.
He was arrested when trying to return to Miami from a trip to the US Virgin Islands, and taken to Krome Detention Center.
It is believed that the fact that he is HIV-positive is the reason for his detention under new policies introduced by the Trump administration.
He had claimed political asylum because of the peril faced by some members of the LGBT+ community in Russia.
According to Sergey Piskunov, Davydov has been given access to his HIV medications in the detention centre but has been denied access to a doctor.
“He was awaiting his asylum interview, had a valid employment authorization and A-number, and had no criminal record,” says Piskunov, who works with RUSA LGBT.
“He’s a gay man and HIV-positive,” Piskunov adds. “Russia is not the best place for either of those and he’s a combination of both.”
He goes on: “This is one of the reasons we really want to get him out of there,” saying Davydov has “developed a fungal infection [possibly thrush] and has not been able to receive medication for it.”
Davydov has also been on the receiving end of anti-gay slurs from others in the detention centre, says Piskunov.
“They have money for war in Ukraine, Crimea, Syria,” Piskunov adds.
“They have money for all these military expenses. But they don’t have money for the medical system. And they don’t care.”
Immigration Equality has also called for Davydov to be given access to specialist medication for the fungal infection.
Aaron Morris, Davydov’s attorney said he has no criminal record and poses no danger to the public.
Customs and Border Protection spokesman Jaime Ruiz, has said that the agency does not comment on individual cases.
A Facebook page has been set up to give updates on Davydov’s condition.
