San Francisco Drag Queen Asylum Seeker Detained by ICE, Community Rallies

San Francisco, USA – 3 July 2025 – Hilary Rivers, a drag performer and asylum seeker from Central America, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on June 25 following an immigration court appointment in downtown San Francisco. Rivers – who fled severe persecution based on his gay identity – was taken from the SF immigration field office and transferred to a detention facility in McFarland, California, in the lead-up to the city’s Pride Weekend, amplifying fear and outrage within local LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities .

Although a judge rejected a government motion to dismiss his pending asylum case, Rivers was arrested as he left the courthouse – a tactic aligned with recent ICE strategies that enable expedited removal without full hearings. His detention comes amid a troubling pattern: advocates report at least 20 similar arrests in San Francisco where asylum seekers attending hearings were seized, even while their legal cases remained active.

Community organizations quickly mobilized. On June 30, SF Pride and Galería de la Raza hosted a letter-writing and solidarity event, while advocates also raised funds to support Rivers’ commissary and legal needs. “He was doing everything, complying with every rule … he was not a criminal,” affirmed community leaders in response to the detention.

Legal observers say the case underscores escalating enforcement under policies that increasingly disregard due process. “It’s a complete, flagrant violation of what our asylum system was built on,” said Rivers’ attorney Milli Atkinson, reflecting broader concerns about courthouse arrests that deter vulnerable migrants from attending hearings out of fear.

The timing – just before San Francisco Pride – cast a shadow over celebrations that are rooted in immigrant and queer histories. Advocates argue the detention clashes with San Francisco’s sanctuary identity and threatens the safety and dignity of queer migrants across the city