LSNYC Helps LGBTQ+ Immigrants Find Safety and Stability

“Unexplainable joy radiated from my heart when I was told that I was granted asylum to live in the US permanently and most importantly legally. I can now enjoy benefits that I once thought were only a dream, like affordable healthcare to better manage my now-undetectable HIV condition and many other immigration benefits. My whole life is changed thanks to Legal Services NYC. Their work ensures that people like me get the help they need.”

Joy Wefum, an LSNYC client and board member

When Joy realized he was gay, he knew he had to get out of his native Ghana. “My religion is against it, my culture is against it, the law in my country is against it, and I could face jail time or persecution if I was ever caught,” he said. While in university, he used connections to visit the United States during a summer holiday and decided to make a fresh start. 

Fast forward a few years, he was diagnosed with HIV and shortly thereafter lost his job and apartment and had to move into a homeless shelter. “That was the most difficult time of my life, as I could not share the news of my health with my family or even close friends,” Joy said. “I thought I had completely failed at life.” 

A case worker who helped Joy secure emergency housing advised him that he was eligible for asylum to live legally and permanently here in the United States. He was unsure given how long he had been here without status but began to look for legal help anyway. “Many advocates said no because I had been here for so long and didn’t think I had a chance. But Legal Services NYC said ‘yes’,” he said.

His attorneys, including advocates from LSNYC and Gibson Dunn, met with Joy once a week over four months and provided him with insights, resources, and a path forward. After months of advocacy, his affirmative asylum application was granted. “I know all this was made possible because of the vision and goals of Legal Services NYC, and its commitment to fighting poverty and seeking racial, social and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. I am a proud beneficiary of this commitment.”

Joy, who is now an LSNYC board member, works in the health industry and has safe and stable housing.

Get Help

Learn more about our immigration and asylum practice.

For free legal help, call Legal Services NYC at 917-661-4500 Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more about our intake process here.