Oasis Legal Services was founded so that LGBTQ+ immigrants would be treated with dignity and respect when seeking immigration relief. As a nonprofit, our partnerships ensure that we reach queer and trans immigrants with limited resources who are unaware of their rights. Our Affirmative Asylum Program supports LGBTQ+ immigrants escaping violence in their home countries. Combined with our Social Services Program, our case managers empower queer and trans immigrants to pursue individual advocacy. LGBTQ+ immigrants have expressed the desire to work with service providers who have shared experiences, and many of our staff are queer and trans from immigrant backgrounds. Our Residency Program and our Naturalization Program round out our continuum of care model for LGBTQ+ immigrants who are eligible for a green card or citizenship, allowing our clients to receive support from the team they’ve come to trust.

As an active member of several California statewide and national coalitions, we emphasize the intersectional experiences of LGBTQ+ immigrants in policy advocacy, judicial decisions, and academic discourse. Our Training & Advocacy Program formalizes our approach to Movement Lawyering (the understanding that all legal advocates operate within an ecosystem that relies on community partnerships to create a world that is just and equitable). Relatedly, our Pro Bono Program trains attorneys to directly support immigration relief for LGBTQ+ immigrants through country-conditions research and client representation. Many have shared that their collaboration with Oasis has been one of the most meaningful experiences of their legal career.

Since 2017, we’re proud to have directly represented over 2,700 individuals (queer and trans immigrants from across California, Washington, Oregon, and western Nevada).

Explore what we accomplished in 2023:

Each year, we reach more and more queer and trans immigrants because of our established trust and rapport within LGBTQ+ immigrant communities. We provide continuity in legal services, such as permanent residency and citizenship representation, because our clients share that they have experienced discrimination or mistreatment when seeking help elsewhere. We believe that all LGBTQ+ immigrants should be treated with dignity and respect. Our unique Social Services Program also equips our clients with resources and care to address their intersecting needs. Clients are often surprised by our level of care, but as they proceed with their individual cases, our multiple touchpoints continue to reassure them.

Without congressional comprehensive immigration solutions, more of our asylum clients are pushed into the backlog of cases waiting to be adjudicated. Over the past three years, we have not been able to close the majority of our asylum cases, and so our legal advocates continue to assist each of our clients in a myriad of ways. It remains our mission to ensure that every qualifying LGBTQ+ immigrant receives the immigration relief they need. As it stands, our goal is to raise additional funding so that we can continue to serve all of our clients in the asylum backlog while simultaneously supporting new queer and trans asylum seekers.

Explore what we accomplished in 2023:

Oasis has a close relationship with the community we serve because our team includes individuals who are LGBTQ+, come from immigrant families, or are immigrants themselves. Three of our board members are LGBTQ+ asylum seekers, two-thirds identify as LGBTQ+, and two-thirds are people of color (POC).

our 2023 board of directors

Raquel Aldana, Daniel Brotsky, Victor Garcia, Jack Kornfield, Jena Lee (Treasurer), Allan Manzanares, Kim Mejia-Cuella, Gerson Pineda, Rhina Ramos (Chair), Ann Schnuer, Kathy Schwarz (Secretary), Lilian Turcios, Korab Zuka

Click here to learn more about our Board.

In June 2023, we welcomed our newest Board Director, Daniel (Dan) Brotsky. Dan was VP and Chief Architect for Business Infrastructure at Adobe before retiring in March of 2022. He now runs a small consulting company, ClickOneTwo LLC, that builds supportive technology for individuals and community groups. He is also an active contributor in the open-source software community.

Dan initially joined the Oasis community as a tech consultant when the organization opened its doors in 2017. He is proud to step into this Director role to continue supporting Oasis and its work.

All of our Board Directors are volunteers. We are actively seeking LGBTQ+ immigrants committed to social justice to engage with our Board of Directors. If you are interested in learning about becoming a Board Director, please contact us!

our 2023 Staff

Undergraduate Paralegal Interns work directly with our clients under legal representative supervision to help prepare asylum applications. They also assist our law student interns and pro bono representatives as interpreters. We partner with colleges and universities to offer course credit to undergraduate students interning at Oasis.

Law Student Interns have the opportunity to work with Oasis during the summer, fall, and spring semesters. They work directly with our clients under attorney supervision to help prepare asylum and other affirmative immigration cases, declarations and affidavits, and represent clients at their asylum interviews before USCIS. Oasis works with law schools to facilitate formal externships for credit.

Social Work Graduate-Level Interns support Oasis during the academic year, as part of their MSW field placement process. Social work graduate interns help directly with client case management, as well as research, advocacy, and outreach to community organizations.

Click here to learn more about how to apply for an internship at Oasis.

Oasis stands out from typical immigration service providers as our model has always included social services navigation. Over the years, we’ve created three standalone immigration programs (asylum, residency, and naturalization) and a social services program. We wholeheartedly believe in this model and continue to share out both best practices and lessons learned so that other immigration service providers can pursue a holistic approach to providing legal representation.

Understanding the intersectionality of our clients’ lived experiences, we treat immigration status as a social determinant of health. Research supports the notion that a lack of immigration status can lead to negative mental health outcomes. And our own client testimonials suggest that undocumented LGBTQ+ immigrants who have social services support are better equipped to pursue long-term immigration relief.

Stop the Hate

Oasis was awarded a $200,000 grant from the California Department of Social Services’ Hate Incidents Unit in the summer of 2023 (Stop the Hate Program Funding) to enhance the direct legal and social services we provide to communities living at the intersections of LGBTQ+ and immigrant identities. Oasis utilizes Stop the Hate funding to expand the reach of our services throughout the state, particularly in the Central Valley region. As a grantee, we work closely with other Stop the Hate organizations to collectively combat discrimination and hate.

oasis legal services in the central valley

What started as a small event to support our clients has become a part of a greater transformation within the Central Valley community. By hosting events that uplift both LGBTQ+ and Latine communities in Fresno, we have created a space where people feel safe and affirmed. We’ve heard from other community advocates that they are inspired to create affirming affinity spaces of their own.

Advocacy and “Movement Lawyering”

our approach to advocacy

We break down our advocacy efforts into four arenas: (1) Individual Advocacy, (2) Impact Litigation and Partnerships, (3) Training and Capacity Building, and (4) Data Sharing. With this model, we form a vital part of the ecosystem for movement attorneys, advocating for more equitable laws, policies, and outcomes and guiding others to do the same.

Our Training & Advocacy program takes the knowledge gained from our clients’ experiences to inform our advocacy. As a trusted organization for LGBTQ+ immigrants, our collaborations with LGBTQ+ and immigration advocates have enabled us to become a leading authority in immigration law affecting LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive individuals. With this knowledge and responsibility, we advocate for laws and policies to improve the lives of our clients (with impacts on LGBTQ+ and immigration communities broadly in the U.S.). We also train service providers on serving this demographic in a culturally responsive manner. Together, we aim to expand the capacity of both immigration and social service providers to elevate queer and trans individuals, even as our current immigration system continues to evolve.

Movement Lawyering is a dynamic approach to legal advocacy that extends beyond traditional legal aid, using lessons learned from direct service experiences to contribute to broader social movements and systemic change. As the leading organization on the West Coast championing statewide and national policies benefiting LGBTQ+ immigrants, we hold a responsibility to engage in community organizing that elevates the voices of queer and trans asylum seekers while collaborating with advocacy groups and grassroots initiatives – centering the most impacted community members.

Our legislative and judicial advocacy formally began in 2019 and has been steadily growing. In 2022, we participated in four regulatory advocacy efforts, 12 legislative advocacy efforts, and 28 campaign and letter sign-ons. In 2023, we increased our involvement by participating in 26 regulatory advocacy efforts, 26 legislative efforts, and 22 additional sign-ons.

a better future for all lgbtq+ employees in california

In January 2023, we represented a client in a settlement with a nationwide chain restaurant who discriminated, harassed, and retaliated against them based on their gender identity, gender expression, and transgender status. After drafting and filing a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), the case resulted in a victory, not only for our client, but for future LGBTQ+ employees in California. 

We previously represented this client in his asylum and green card cases, which resulted in permanent immigration status. As a trusted organization, with over 1,000 of our clients being word-of-mouth referrals, we are positioned to support clients with other legal barriers they may face. 

pro bono program

We are grateful for our partnership with Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Lowey LLP, and Morrison Foerster LLP, as well as all the individual pro bono attorneys who supported our work in 2023.

Explore what we accomplished in 2023:

Our clients represent a multitude of cultures and life experiences, demonstrating the need for culturally responsive services for all LGBTQ+ immigrants. Since 2017, we have directly represented over 2,700 LGBTQ+ individuals from 68 different countries. We never turn a client away due to their ability to pay, and work with clients to ensure that they are getting legal and social services support in their preferred languages. Over 60% of our clients are non-English speakers.

It is a crime and/or extremely unsafe to be LGBTQ+ or HIV-positive in more than 80 countries. By the end of 2023, we represented clients from over 68 different countries.

LGBTQ+ immigrants exist at the intersection of multiple systems of oppression and face unique roadblocks in obtaining economic and social well-being. For undocumented queer and trans immigrants, asylum offers protection from deportation, extreme abuse, and potential death. According to 2021 data from the Williams Institute, there are an estimated 300,000 undocumented LGBTQ+ immigrants in the U.S., with at least 60,000 in California.

Out of 322 new clients in 2023, 11% identify as trans or nonbinary, 93% are Latine, and 88% live at 200% or below the Federal Poverty Level.

21% of 206 clients whose asylum cases were opened in 2023 are from the Central Valley. Across our offices, one in five of our new asylum clients in 2023 is living with HIV.

By the end of 2023, we have helped 566 LGBTQ+ immigrants gain asylum. Still, nearly 1,000 of our clients remain stuck in the asylum backlog, with some waiting over seven years for an asylum interview.

We empower LGBTQ+ immigrants to advocate

for themselves and each other

1 in 5 of Oasis’ Clients in 2023 is Living with HIV

LGBTQ+ asylum seekers flee their countries due to a variety of dangers, including physical, psychological, and sexual violence. For many, remaining in their countries is also a danger to their health. Due to structural barriers and cultural attitudes, many LGBTQ+ people, including those living with HIV, are not able to receive adequate health care nor medication in their native countries. 

According to Yale School of Medicine (2017), the stigmas directed toward sexual minorities and toward immigrants put LGBTQ+ (particularly gay, bisexual men and women, and transgender women) immigrants at high risk of HIV exposure. 

100% of our clients remain at higher risk of contracting HIV. Through our intake process, we learn that many have never even been tested for HIV, and only learn about resources and preventative care when they come through our doors. When clients come to Oasis, we provide them with an HIV Resource Guide (available in English, Spanish, or Portuguese) and connect them to health care providers who are committed to serving LGBTQ+ people. 

Due to funding support from partners like Gilead Sciences, Inc. and ViiV Healthcare, we provide free immigration services to all clients who are HIV-positive.

Explore what we accomplished in 2023:

2023: 6th annual community celebration

Our Special Projects Director (and Co-Founder), Caroline Kornfield Roberts, and Board Chair, Rhina Ramos, shared heartfelt messages for our award recipients.

As our biggest fundraising event of the year, we partnered with queer-owned businesses and LGBTQ+ musicians to spotlight the talents of our community. As a young organization, all levels of support contribute to our sustainability. Our community partners, donations, and various visible displays of support not only help our organization grow, but they show our clients that they are not alone and that they are cared for. There were many promises by partners and community members to collaborate, volunteer, and deepen relationships. Months after the event, we continued to receive positive feedback from attendees about their experience and excitement to continue supporting our mission.

Thank you to the following generous individuals and organizations.

you make our work possible.

institutional partners

American Immigration Lawyers Association, Bigglesworth Family Foundation, California Access to Justice Commission, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, County of Santa Clara, Firedoll Foundation, Gamma Mu Foundation, Gilead Sciences Inc., Horizons Foundation, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, Legal Services Funder Network, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, State of California Department of Social Services, The City & County of San Francisco Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs, ViiV Healthcare’s Positive Action Community Grant Program, Zellerbach Family Foundation, van Löben Sels/RembeRock Foundation

2023 Annual Celebration Sponsors

BPM LLC, Bankston Immigration Law Office, Bill & Renée Sherer, Dan Brotsky & Shawna Hartman Brotsky, Horizons Foundation, Jack Kornfield, Jena Lee, Morrison Foerster LLP, National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), Perkins Coie LLP, Rainbow Grocery

In-Kind Donors

Adventure Cat Sailing Charters, American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.), Contemporary Jewish Museum, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Idlewild Wines, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Oakland Athletics (A's), Oakland Museum of CA (OMCA), Olga Vodka, Pax Wines, Russell Jew of Glass Art Photography, San Francisco Ballet, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SF MoMA), Two Pitchers Brewing Company

Pro Bono Attorneys

Anne Rowley, Barbara Mitchell, Catherine (Jieying) Xie, Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Lowey LLP, Halyna Hegde, Julie Nagorski, Lindsey Frischer, Morrison Foerster LLP, Nanette Joslyn King, Nghi Nguyen, Richard Severy, Roxanne Salas, Vicki Laden, Catherine (Jieying) Xie, Zeena Barazanji

Volunteers

Alondra Covarrubias, Bill Sherer, Cynthia Neiman, Daniel Bui, Deva Senapathy, Dylan Davis, Eric Cameron, Hannah Mirza, Janet Saevitz, Jay Phatak, Kathy Schwarz, Linda Moller, Louie Moller, Mary Huong Chu-Nguyen, Megan Ahmad Hassanzadi, Micheal Mendez, Nadia Ghani, Navdeep Kaur, Randy Davis, Sara Khosrowshahi Asl, Sarah Bruno, Scott Davis, Surya Devasenapathy, Tomas Cazares