LGBTQ+ people in the US are searching for information about how to claim asylum in Canada

It has only been nine days since Trump was inaugurated. In that short time, he’s instigated a swathe of anti-LGBTQ+ measures – so much so that some queer US citizens are contemplating seeking asylum in Canada.

Trump has signed a raft of regressive executive orders, including an anti-trans measure proclaiming that the US recognises only two sexes., an order restricting gender-affirming care for trans youth under 19, an order eliminating DEI initiatives from the US military and declared trans people to be “unfit for military service.”

This terrifying anti-LGBTQ+ crackdown has left many queer Americans fearing for their safety and security. Even before the inauguration, following Trump’s win, it was reported that there had been an increase in women, queer and trans people buying guns and learning how to defend themselves from potential attackers.

Against this backdrop, there has been a surge in Google searches for the term “LGBTQ+ asylum Canada”, which first began to appear on 20 January: the day of Trump’s inauguration.

Another thing likely fuelling LGBTQ+ Americans’ fears is the recently released news that 2024 saw a significant increase in the number of daily hate crime incidents in the country, which was revealed in a January 2025 GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) report. 

The information was gathered by the LGBTQ+ media advocacy organisation’s extremism reporting tracker, the ALERT Desk. Throughout 2024 the desk recorded at least 918 anti-LGBTQ+ incidents across the US, which is the equivalent of two and a half hate crime incidents every day. 

90 injuries and seven deaths were recorded from acts of violence motivated by anti-LGBTQ+ hate, while a concerning 447 incidents directly targeted the trans, non-binary and gender non-confirming community. 

GLAAD previously reported, in October 2024, that the ALERT Desk tracked over 1,850 anti-LGBTQ incidents in the US, corresponding with a 112% increase in anti-LGBTQ hate from June 2022 – June 2024.

GLAAD’s president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis blamed the rise on “anti-LGBTQ+ policies and rhetoric rise, including from elected officials and social media platforms.” 

There has also been a recent jump in the number of Google searches for the term “can gay marriage be overturned”, following news that an Idaho resolution is pushing to restore the “natural definition” of marriage which could see same-sex unions, including gay marriage, banned.

Representative Heather Scott, a Republican, proposed the measure to reject the 2015 Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalised same-sex marriage nationally. 

In her proposal, which asks the court to reinstate the “natural definition of marriage” as being between one man and one woman, she argues that the 2015 decision is an “illegitimate overreach.”

Can US citizens actually claim asylum in Canada?

Yes, although its rare for asylum applications from Americans to be approved. However, if things become more dangerous for LGBTQ+ people in the US, this may change, as Canada grants asylum to individuals who can prove they face persecution, torture, or cruel and unusual punishment in their home country.

To qualify for asylum in Canada, you must prove a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group: which includes LGBTQ+ people.

There’s also the option to immigrate to Canada – rather than claiming asylum. Immigration lawyers IAS report that requests to move to Canada from the US have multiplied recently, which they believe is down to the recent “shift in the political system.”

They explain: “For US citizens, moving to Canada is relatively straightforward, especially for skilled workers or family sponsorships. However, processing times can range from 6 months to 2 years, depending on the immigration route.” You can find out more information here.