1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I’m writing as a constituent and concerned citizen regarding the disturbing detention of Hilary Rivers, a beloved drag performer and LGBTQ+ asylum seeker who was arrested by ICE immediately after attending a legal hearing in San Francisco on June 26, 2025. Hilary (they/them in drag) is not a threat. They are a public figure in our city’s queer community, a regular performer at Galería de la Raza, and a participant in civic, cultural, and health-centered events for the LGBTQ+ and Latine communities. They fled their home country to escape persecution for being gay—something that should make them eligible for protection under U.S. asylum law, not a target for federal punishment. That ICE agents waited outside a San Francisco courtroom to detain someone complying with the legal process is not just cruel—it’s a direct violation of the spirit of sanctuary policies and a chilling reminder that due process means little when ICE decides otherwise. Representative Pelosi, I urge you to: • Publicly call for the immediate release of Hilary Rivers; • Pressure ICE to cease courthouse arrests in San Francisco; • Advocate for stronger protections for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers in your district and beyond. Your voice matters. This case is about more than one performer—it’s about what kind of country we are becoming. San Francisco’s values mean nothing if we allow cruelty to parade around as law enforcement. I urge you to act swiftly and visibly.