LGBTQ+ Americans are Googling how to claim asylum in Canada following Renee Nicole Good’s death

It has been one year since Trump was inaugurated. In that short time, he’s instigated a swathe of anti-LGBTQ+ measures, which has led some queer US citizens to research how to seek 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.”

More recently, Renee Nicole Good – a 37-year-old mother, wife and US citizen – was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis. A video of the shooting shows a woman, who claims she is Good’s wife, sitting on the snowy ground, sobbing and screaming alongside a pet dog.

According to an account of the events shared by the City of Minneapolis, she was subsequently transported to Hennepin County Medical Center, where she later died of her injuries.

The shooting has been met with widespread outrage and protests, In response to the shooting, Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey condemned ICE’s operation in the city and told them to leave.

“ICE — Get the f*** out of Minneapolis,” Frey said. “We do not want you here. Your stated purpose for being in this City is to create some kind of safety, but you are doing exactly the opposite… We will pursue justice — and we will do so as quickly as possible.”

This terrifying incident has left many queer Americans fearing for their safety and security. Even before Trump’s inauguration, following his election 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”, similar to an earlier surge in 2025 that first began to appear on 20 January: the day of Trump’s inauguration.

Anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime increase

Another thing that may be fuelling LGBTQ+ Americans’ fears is the recently released GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) report. 

The LGBTQ+ media advocacy organisation’s extremism reporting tracker, the ALERT Desk, tracks anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes, and they say that their data shows that such incidents are on the rise in the US.

Between May 1, 2024 and May 1, 2025, the ALERT Desk tracked 932 anti-LGBTQ incidents in 49 US states and the District of Columbia – the equivalent of 2.5 incidents every day. Violent attacks included in this year’s count resulted in 84 injuries and 10 deaths.

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.” 

Since Trump’s inauguration, there has also been repeated and regular spikes in the number of Google searches for the term “can gay marriage be overturned”. In November 2025, the US Supreme Court declined to hear a case that could have threatened same-sex marriage rights across the country.

The legal petition was brought by former Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis.

Davis petitioned Supreme Court justices in July to overturn a lower court decision on Ermold v. Davis after the appeals court held she could be liable for refusing to issue licences to same-sex couples.

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.