Among the more than 7,000 people who are part of the migrant caravan– a group of Central American refugees fleeing extreme violence in their home countries – a smaller group of about 80 LGBTQ individuals has broken off from the larger group. These individuals decided to travel separately, in part, due to discrimination they faced from fellow travelers.

They will face a unique set of challenges when they arrive at the U.S. border.

LGBTQ asylum-seekers coming to the U.S. face a dramatically higher risk of violence due to homophobia and transphobia, particularly in immigration detention facilities, where they will likely be sent upon their arrival. A 2013 study by the Government Accountability Office found that transgender detainees account for 1 of every 5 confirmed sexual assaults in ICE custody, even though only 1 out of 500 detainees is trans.

My own research has focused on another hurdle LGBTQ people face when seeking asylum: proving their gender or sexual identity.

Gay? Prove it

Asylum law in the United States allows individuals to seek asylum due to persecution or well-founded fear of future persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. Read more via the Conversation