Immigration judge faces criticism for ‘atrocious’ probing of gay asylum seeker
A judge is under fire over the questioning of a gay asylum seeker (stock image via Getty Images)
Audio recorded from a hearing in New Mexico is raising serious concerns about how LGBTQ+ asylum claims are handled in US immigration courts.
According to The Advocate, Immigration Judge Samuel Williams spent nearly three hours pressing a gay Iranian asylum seeker on intimate details of his same-sex relationship during a spring 2025 hearing, questions which advocates say reflect troubling misunderstandings about how LGBTQ+ people survive in countries where being out can be deadly.
The man, who fled Iran fearing execution, described living in secrecy, maintaining a heterosexual marriage as cover while navigating a relationship with another man under constant threat.
His attorney, Rebekah Wolf of the American Immigration Council, called the case a “textbook” asylum claim, but said the judge’s line of questioning suggested an expectation that applicants must “prove” their sexuality in ways that don’t reflect real-world danger.
“The language is so atrocious,” Wolf said
Legal experts, including Vanessa Dojaquez-Torres of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, warn that credibility assessments in these cases can be shaped by bias, particularly when judges don’t fully understand the risks of disclosure in hostile environments.
The case also highlights broader systemic issues within US immigration courts, where judges are appointed by the Justice Department and oversight is limited.
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