Table 1.
Participant demographic information.
| Pseudonym | Age | Gender | Sexual orientation | Country of origin | Age of migration | Year of migration | Reason for detention | Detention duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estefania | 40 | Transsexual | Heterosexual | El Salvador | 39 | 2016 | Seeking asylum at border | 3 months |
| Nancy | 30 | Trans Woman | Heterosexual | Guatemala | 27 | 2016 | Apprehended while migrating | 9 months |
| Petra | 20 | Female | Attracted to men | El Salvador | 19 | 2019 | Seeking asylum at border | 1 month |
| Lupe | 42 | Nonbinary | Lesbian | México | 22 | 1999 | Detained after criminal charges a | 5 months |
| Lorena | 24 | Transgender | Attracted to men | Honduras | 23 | 2018 | Apprehended while migrating | 4 months, 11 days |
| Martha | 25 | Transgender | Attracted to men | El Salvador | 25 | 2018 | Apprehended while migrating | 2.5 months |
| Maria | 26 | Female | Attracted to men | El Salvador | 26 | 2018 | Seeking asylum at border | 2.5 months |
| Tannia | 27 | Trans Woman | Heterosexual | Guatemala | 16 | 2008 | Detained after criminal charges a | 3 days, 1 month (jail), 1 month (detention) |
| Andrea | 18 | Trans Woman | Heterosexual | Guatemala | 14 | 2015 | Apprehended while migrating | 2.5 days |
| Norma | 24 | Woman | Heterosexual | Guatemala | 23 | 2018 | Apprehended while migrating | 2.5 months |
| Gabi | 46 | Transgender | Gay | México | 31 | 2004 | Wrongfully accused of being a sex worker | 12 months |
| Francisco | 37 | Man | Attracted to women; Gay | Honduras | 19 | 2000 | Framed for criminal charges; persecuted by ICE | First time in detention: 1 month; Second time in detention: 2 years |
| Cecilia c | 29 | Female | Heterosexual | Guatemala | 23 | 2013 | – | – |
| Julieta | 33 | Trans Woman | Heterosexual | El Salvador | 33 | 2019 | Seeking asylum at border | 1 month |
| Jessica | 31 | Trans Woman | Heterosexual | El Salvador | 29 | 2017 | Seeking asylum at border | 9 months |
| Patricia | 22 | Female | Heterosexual | Honduras | 16 | 2014 | Apprehended while migrating | 1 yr., 4 months |
| Carolina | 32 | Trans Woman | Pansexual | El Salvador | 31 | 2017 | Seeking asylum at border | 9 months |
| Gloria | 39 | Trans Woman | Attracted to men | Peru | 23 | 2003 | Detained after criminal charges b | 3 years |
| Monica | 52 | Transgender | Attracted to men | El Salvador | 22 | 1989 | Criminalized for sex work | 1 day |
| Leilani | 24 | Transgender | Heterosexual | El Salvador | 22 | 2017 | Seeking asylum at border | 9 months |
| Olivia | 24 | Female | Attracted to men | Honduras | 19 | 2015 | Seeking asylum at border | 13 days |
| Sandra | 18 | Transgender | Heterosexual | Guatemala | 18 | 2018 | Apprehended while migrating | 6 months |
| Brenda | 24 | Female | Attracted to men | El Salvador | 23 | 2018 | Apprehended while migrating | 6 months |
| Rocio | 40 | Female | attracted to men | México | 20 | 2000 | Apprehended during checkpoint | 8 hours |
| Karina | 23 | Trans Woman | Heterosexual | El Salvador | 21 | 2016 | Seeking asylum at border | 9 months |
| Natalia | 35 | Female | Attracted to men | Guatemala | 33 | 2017 | Detained after criminal chargesb | 3 years |
| Alex | 25 | Nonbinary | Attracted to men | Honduras | 23 | 2017 | Seeking asylum at border | 3 months |
| Lola | 45 | Transgender | Attracted to men | México | 17 | 1991 | Criminalized for sex work | 6 months |
| Silvia | 45 | Transsexual | Heterosexual | México | 21 | 1995 | Criminalized for sex work | 2.5 months |
| Claudia | 44 | Transsexual | Attracted to men | El Salvador | 14 | 1989 | Apprehended while migrating | 6 months |
Note. All descriptors are the participants’ own words for their identities.
a
Theft charges.
b
Victim of abuse/violence that lead to eventual criminal charges.
c
The recording unexpectedly cut off for this participant part way through the interview.