Tere, a 39-year-old transgender woman from Venezuela, has found a semblance of stability in Chicago despite her precarious situation as an asylum seeker.
Arriving in the U.S. in 2023, she was drawn by the promise of safety and human rights protections, having previously faced harassment and violence in her home country.
“The whole furniture set was $1,300, but I got it for $700,” Tere proudly shared in Spanish, recounting her recent purchase for her two-bedroom apartment in a neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago.
She noted that she could pay for it in manageable installments, thanks to a steady cleaning job she secured shortly after receiving her work permit.
However, Tere’s peace of mind is shaken by the political climate under President Donald Trump’s administration, concerned about increased deportation targets targeting newly arrived migrants and a rollback on transgender rights.
For her safety, WBEZ has chosen not to use Tere’s full name.
Back in Venezuela, Tere grew up in a heavily anti-trans and anti-gay culture, where harassment was a daily reality.
Frequently, she faced bullying, with stones and bottles hurled her way as she walked down the street.
The violence escalated when, at 25, she narrowly escaped a rape attempt during a night out, saved only by a bystander.
Tere initially sought refuge in Colombia and later in Peru, yet faced similar discrimination and lack of opportunities.
Hopeful for a fresh start, she made the perilous journey through the Darién Gap between Colombia and Panama before arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border.
At the border, she encountered a moment of anxiety when her official name, assigned at birth, did not align with her identity.
Despite this challenge, she gained entry into the U.S. using the CBP One app, a tool implemented under the Biden administration that facilitates asylum-seeker crossings.
Upon arrival, she spent weeks at O’Hare Airport, awaiting shelter before being transferred to a city-run migrant shelter.
At the shelter, she faced hostility and discrimination, including being told by staff that she should use the men’s bathroom instead of the women’s.
Despite reporting the incident, she struggled to find acceptance in the shelter’s environment.
Nevertheless, Tere’s resilience paid off. She found an apartment and a job, accessing both HIV treatment and gender-affirming care essential for her well-being.
Yet the shadow of uncertainty looms over her new life, especially with Trump’s re-election bringing a wave of executive orders targeting the rights of transgender individuals while escalating policies against immigrants.
The administration has reinstated a ban on transgender individuals in the military, limited gender markers on passports, and taken steps to defund gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
Additionally, Trump’s policies have intensified enforcement against immigrants, facilitating deportations of individuals lacking criminal records and threatening the status of many asylum-seekers like Tere.
The fear of detention and deportation is palpable, particularly with Trump’s proposed measures to send National Guard troops to sanctuary cities like Chicago for targeted immigration enforcement.
Asylum seekers, including Tere, have increasingly found themselves at risk of arrest since the beginning of the year, prompting health advocates to express concern about potential cuts to healthcare for immigrants.
Reflecting on her identity, Tere has always felt she was meant to live as a woman.
As a child, she longed to wear her mother’s clothes and engage in activities traditionally assigned to girls, nurturing feelings for other boys her age.
However, her struggles with her identity resulted in physical violence from her mother, who forced her into therapy in hopes of conforming her behavior to societal expectations.
At the age of 13, Tere left home, finding support among other relatives until she began carving her path.
“Since I was 15, I have tried to look more feminine,” Tere recounted, sharing her journey toward embracing her true self, eventually undergoing breast augmentation surgery at 25.
While working in retail during Venezuela’s economic turmoil, she felt continually compelled to defend her identity.
Now, in her new life in Chicago, Tere was connected with healthcare services while staying in city migrant shelters, receiving a three-month rental assistance voucher.
Though her job search proved challenging, she eventually secured employment as a cleaner at a nursing home, where most colleagues are respectful.
Yet, Tere still faces obstacles at work, filing complaints about coworkers—some of whom have intentionally misgendered her by using her deadname.
Tere perceives this hostility as reflective of a broader societal shift, suggesting that Trump’s presidency has emboldened discrimination against marginalized communities.
In light of the heightened threat of deportation and increased scrutiny of migrants, Tere opts to avoid news of ICE raids, understanding the risk especially for those who arrived under current regulations.
Going back to Venezuela is not an option for her; she undertook a perilous journey for a chance at a life free from judgment and violence.
Tere is on a quest for a place in the world that embraces her for who she is, a journey she understands may be lifelong.
image source from:chicago