Protests are erupting across the country in response to a surge in immigration enforcement: increased ICE raids, expanding surveillance networks, and political calls for mass deportations. Organizers are mobilizing to stop detentions, defend immigrant communities, and push back against the broader criminalization of migration. 

LGBTQ+ people are not bystanders in this story. We are at its center.

There are 1.3 million LGBTQ+ adult immigrants who live in the U.S., and more than 289,000 who are undocumented. Many fled their countries because of anti-LGBTQ+ violence. When they arrive in the U.S., they face new threats: detention, denial of medical care, and the looming fear of deportation. Some are sent back to places where being LGBTQ+ is punishable by death. Others are locked away in U.S. facilities that claim to protect them but instead isolate and endanger them.

We know from available data that LGBTQ+ immigrants in ICE custody are 97 times more likely to be sexually assaulted than other detainees. Hormone therapy, HIV medication, and mental health care are frequently denied. Deaths in custody, like those of Roxana Hernández and Johana Medina Leon, are tragic outcomes of these structural conditions. But the harm does not end with detention. The constant threat of raids and deportation drives people away from clinics, silences abuse, and cuts off vital access to preventive care. These systems undermine health at every level: physical, emotional, communal, and political.

As a public health researcher who studies the consequences of public policy, I see this moment not just a legal or political crisis, but a public health emergency. The systems being protested are the same ones that make people sick. They fracture communities, expose vulnerable populations to trauma and medical neglect, and deepen the structural conditions that cause premature death. 

This is what public health calls a syndemic: multiple forms of violence interacting to produce compounding harm. Immigration enforcement doesn’t just criminalize. It isolates. It separates people from care, severs support networks, and creates conditions of chronic fear. And that fear becomes its own form of illness.

What we are witnessing is not just an immigration issue. It’s about power. The expansion of enforcement, surveillance, and detention reflects a broader effort to consolidate control over who is allowed to exist safely in public space. And once those powers exist, they rarely stay confined to one community.

LGBTQ+ people have lived this before. From sodomy laws to the surveillance of gay bars, from HIV criminalization to today’s drag bans and curriculum restrictions, we know how governments weaponize control in the name of “public order.” When we ignore state violence against immigrants, we normalize the very tools – raids, profiling, incarceration – that have also been used against us.

The same political forces driving this crackdown on immigrants are fueling anti-LGBTQ+ legislation across the country. These are not parallel struggles. They are interlocking, coordinated, and mutually reinforcing. And that is why now is such a critical time for coalition building. And not just symbolic solidarity, but real, material alignment. 

LGBTQ+ liberation has always depended on collective care. We have survived because we built networks to keep each other alive when institutions looked the other way. That same energy is needed now – at the border, in detention centers, and in our neighborhoods.

And we must be clear: this is about justice. Immigrants have long shaped the soul of LGBTQ+ life in the U.S. – as organizers, artists, caregivers, and political visionaries. And they haven’t just participated in our movement. They have led it. From ACT UP and HIV advocacy to today’s mutual aid networks and transgender liberation organizing, immigrant voices have been at the forefront. Their courage and care have made our communities stronger.

If we want to live in a world where no one is caged for who they are or where they’re from, we must act together to build it. That means supporting immigrant-led organizations like Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement, the Black LGBTQ+ Migrant Project, and Trans Queer Pueblo. It means showing up for raids defense, calling out anti-immigrant policies, and refusing to let our movements be divided.

If Pride means anything, it must mean this: that our health, our safety, and our futures are bound together. And that we will fight – together – until we are all free.

Harry Barbee, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. They study LGBTQ+ health and public policy.

It is clear by all his actions, the felon in the White House would like to foment violence, so he can claim he is quelling it. It is what he is doing in Los Angeles, by federalizing the California National Guard, calling them up, and sending in the Marines. 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said he will sue the Trump administration over its deployment of the guard, and that is now in the courts. He said, “the lawsuit would challenge Trump’s federalizing of the California National Guard without the state’s consent, a move with little precedent in U.S. history. Donald Trump has created the conditions you see on your TV tonight. He’s exacerbated the conditions. He’s, you know, lit the proverbial match. He’s putting fuel on this fire, ever since he announced he was taking over the National Guard — an illegal act, an immoral act, an unconstitutional act.”

This is all part of Trump’s alternate universe. He wants to be a king and a dictator. His idols are clearly the likes of Hitler and Putin. He recently had Department of Homeland Security agents tackle and handcuff California Democratic U.S. Senator Alex Padilla for attempting to ask DHS Secretary Kristi Noem questions at a public press conference in Los Angeles.

I believe in the Constitution, which allows us to demonstrate, speak out, and make our views known. I am not for violent protests. They simply play into Trump’s hands, allowing him to use the military to look like he is quelling the violence, even when they aren’t needed. In cities like Los Angeles, the local police are fully prepared to deal with the issue. And if they do need help, the governor can call up the guard.

Over my lifetime I participated in many demonstrations. The first was to protest the Vietnam War. In November 1969, I traveled from my home in New York City to Washington, D.C., for that one. My second time protesting the war was in front of the American embassy in London in 1970. Then there were the demonstrations for women’s equality during the years I worked for Bella Abzug (D-N.Y.). My first job in D.C. was for the Carter administration, directing the White House Conference on Handicapped Individuals/Implementation Unit. My first day in D.C. I was invited to support and participate in a demonstration in front of the White House. At that one, members of the disability community handcuffed themselves to the White House gate to make their points. Since that time, I participated in many marches for the LGBTQ community’s rights, my rights, one of which I helped organize. During Trump’s first term there were many protests I was a part of, the first being the massive women’s march the day after his inauguration. Then the demonstration against gun violence, and most recently in D.C. demonstrations against what Trump is doing today. In all those, only in the one against the Vietnam War in D.C. did I see any semblance of violence. I was tear-gassed in front of the Department of Justice. My tear-gassing seemed the result of what was being done by only a few people. Today, Trump would like TV screens to show violence, again, so he can claim he is doing something to stop it. In reality, he is creating it.  

A big symbol of Trump’s wanting to be a King, or dictator, was the military parade in D.C. on his 79th birthday, (yes, he is a diminished old man). For the country, and the world, watching this, it looked more like something happening in Russia or North Korea. The felon, Commander in Chief, not only never served (it was those damn bone spurs), but who has shared views of people who did. Just remember what he said about a true hero, Senator John McCain. “He’s not a war hero, he’s a war hero because he was captured, I like people that weren’t captured.” A sick and disgusting comment, made by a sick and disgusting man, who we must always remember is a liar, felon, racist, homophobe, found liable for sexual assault. 

 So, I hope the protests will continue, and will grow. But while they do, I plead with those few who think violence is the way to go, and ask them to think first, and realize what they are doing plays directly into Trump’s hands, and then we all will suffer more. Let us take to the streets safely, and peacefully, and then at every opportunity, go to the ballot box, and vote for Democrats. Together, we can throw the MAGA Republicans out of office, and take back our country. 

Peter Rosenstein is a longtime LGBTQ rights and Democratic Party activist.

Blog # 1 – Celebrity APEX cruise, Norwegian Fjords, and the Arctic 

My travel agents, and friends, Dustin, and Scott, from My Lux Cruise, arranged for busses to pick us up from our London hotel, and head to Southampton, to board the Celebrity APEX. It rained on the two-hour trip from London, but stopped just as we got closer to Southampton, which seemed like a good omen. When I first sighted the ship, it was a little like coming home, as I traveled on the APEX before. The crew was welcoming as we got off the bus and check-in was easy. Within thirty minutes I was onboard and headed to my stateroom to drop off my hand baggage, and set up my computer. The only snag, as usual, was with corporate Celebrity, some of the things they promise aren’t there, and you have to make calls onboard to get them. One was the hypoallergenic bedding; I am allergic to feathers; the other was my WIFI was set so I couldn’t use both my phone and computer at the same time. The crew on board acted quickly to remedy both issues. I met my stateroom attendant Mylene, who is great, and she dealt with the bedding. As to WIFI, it works great thus far, and while I hate to credit Elon Musk for anything, Celebrity does have a contract with Starlink.  

I walked around the ship until it was time to head to the sailaway party in the Iconic suite, hosted by Scott and Dustin. It was a great party, and the best part was seeing friends who I hadn’t seen in years. Ewan and Barry, who I first met on a cruise on the Celebrity Silhouette, about ten years ago, were there, actually on their honeymoon. We told each other we hadn’t changed in the ensuing years. As long as there is no mirror around for me to look into, I like to believe that. It was fun to reconnect with so many old and new friends who I would be spending the next twelve days with. 

I then headed back to my stateroom, my luggage had arrived, and I could unpack. I am in the Retreat, the fancy part of ship, and have what is called a sky suite. That is a misnomer as it is basically just a little bigger stateroom, but very nice. I am on deck 10. My next stop was the LGBTQIA+ happy hour, which is how it is now listed in the daily program, at 6:00pm every evening in the EDEN bar. It was fun, and I met some more new friends. From there on to dinner with Rob and Carlos, my traveling companions, and others. We went to Normandie restaurant, one of four main dining rooms. Rob, acting like he always does, as a travel agent, had planned the daily schedule for this trip. He does a spreadsheet and emails it to all who are traveling with him, allowing the rest of us to not think at all, lol. While in the Retreat, I get the feeling I won’t be eating in the Retreat restaurant, Laminae, very often. Rather in one of the four main dining rooms, or the specialty restaurants, where we will eat at least five of our dinners. 

The biggest surprise of the day occurred after dinner when walking around the ship. I saw the Captain sitting with some of the crew opposite Café al Bacio. As I walked over to introduce myself, saw he was chatting with a couple, so just stood nearby and waited. He looked up, and then shocked me by saying to them, oh there is the gentleman who interviewed me, and got me all that free publicity. I couldn’t believe he remembered me from when I did that interview during a transatlantic cruise in 2022. That was before the Celebrity PR department became too difficult and incompetent to deal with. We had a nice chat and told him literally thousands have seen and enjoyed reading about him. Then it was off to bed and a good night’s sleep to prepare for Brugge, Belgium, our first stop, the next morning. 

Day 2 dawned beautiful. I had last been to Brugge in the 1970s and it was very much the same in so many good ways. We left the ship for an hour drive into town at about 8:45 and returned at 2:00pm. We had a great guide and walked for a few hours around the city where he regaled us with fun stories. We then had an hour on our own and I managed to get a wonderful Belgian waffle with strawberries, and Rob and Carlos each had Belgian fries and a beer. Then a stop to buy some Belgian chocolate. and back to the ship. I toured the gym, but didn’t work out, figured I would start the next morning when we were scheduled for a sea day.  Then a totally relaxed afternoon and the 6:00pm LGBTQIA+ happy hour at EDEN. Then to the Tucson dining room for dinner. After dinner a few of us went to the theater and found it packed to the rafters. They were all there to hear Tabitha, a singer, who to my pleasant surprise, was really great. Her show was a tribute to iconic female songwriters. She also allowed the Celebrity Orchestra to shine, and they are incredible. Then back to my stateroom round 11pm, feeling really good about my 1^st full day on the APEX. 

Blog # 2 – Celebrity APEX cruise, Norwegian Fjords, and the Arctic

The second full day on Celebrity APEX dawned clear and sunny, and much warmer than anticipated. It was a day at sea. I had breakfast delivered to the stateroom; coffee, juice, fruit, and what they call a bagel. You eat it in two bites. I began the day, Sunday, finishing up my regular Blade columns, and then at 10am headed to the gym. There has to be some sort of penance for all I am eating. My lifecycle was waiting, and even some weights. Then off to the Retreat lounge for a cappuccino. A gaggle of my fellow cruisers were already there, and we spent the next couple of hours chatting, mostly politics, with friends not from the US who none-the-less shared my view of the felon in the White House. Then it was time for lunch, yes more food, and I met some of the gang in the Oceanview Café, the buffet. Again, a little bit of politics in the discussion, how can one not talk about the Trump/Musk feud. I don’t think the couple sitting next to us was totally happy with our conversation, but other than rolling their eyes a few times, they didn’t say anything. So far, I have seen no MAGA hats on the ship.

It got warm enough in the afternoon for people to head to the pool, not to swim, though a couple actually did, but most to sit in the loungers and enjoy the sun. We had been prepared for rain so this was great. The afternoon went by quicky and it was time for the LGBTQIA+ happy hour in the EDEN lounge. This was going to be every evening at 6:00pm and is listed in the daily program. Then we headed to the theater for the 7:30 show, Crystalize, a production show I had seen on another cruise. It was really good. From there it was off to the EDEN restaurant, which I believe is the best specialty restaurant on the ship. I had dinner with Rob and Carlos, and John and Paul who had recently moved from NY to Palm Springs. John and I talked a little about the New York Mayor’s race as he still has an apartment there and votes in New York. Turns out I am supporting Cuomo and he is not. Dinner didn’t disappoint; it was a grand two-hour feast. What was noticeable from the windows in EDEN was at 10:45 pm it was still light outside.

After a little walk around the ship time to head back to my stateroom. Day three would begin bright, yes very bright, and early, with my alarm going off at 6 am when coffee and a banana was delivered to the room. I was due in the Retreat lounge to meet friends and get off the ship by 7:30 am. We were approaching Flam, our first stop in Norway.

As I opened the blackout curtains in my stateroom, the view of the first Fjord we entered was breathtaking. It is why I was on this cruise and it’s meeting all my expectations for beauty. Instead of the predicted rain it was sunny, and warm enough to open my balcony door and take pictures. We left the ship and headed to the train station, a short walk, for the ride from Flam to Myrdal, about a one-hour trip up the mountain with breathtaking scenery. Countless waterfalls along the way. Again, it surpassed all my expectations and the beautiful weather held out just until we arrived back at the ship, about three hours later, when it began to rain lightly.

Back on the ship I headed to the gym, totally empty, and got ready for another sail away party in Dustin and Scott’s Iconic suite. This time a number of the senior crew were there including the Cruise Director, and Hotel Director. The Hotel Director I had met on a previous cruise and we chatted awhile. The Cruise Director is an interesting and very nice guy. He and his husband live in Las Vegas and he has been doing this with Celebrity for many years. He is a little older than most of the cruise directors I met before. It is a tough job. Then another lazy evening, first happy hour, then, Scott, Mike, Ken, Paul, John, and Paul, Rob, and Carlos, joined me for dinner at Normandie. After dinner we all went our separate ways. I headed to the show in the EDEN lounge. I was looking forward to seeing

Kyrylo and Yaroslav, the Ukrainian aerialists I had interviewed and written about on a previous cruise. I got a chance to say hello to them before the show began, and they are better than ever, and exciting to watch. The entire cast is incredible. Then back to my stateroom for a good night’s sleep. Day four was another sea day. At 2 pm we would be crossing into the Arctic Circle.

BLOG # 3 Celebrity APEX; Norwegian Fjords and the Arctic

Day five was as sea. Woke up to another beautiful day and this just seemed to be too good to be true. All the rain, and cold weather we anticipated, was nowhere in sight. Our luck was holding. This was going to be a totally lazy day on the ship, the kind I love. Breakfast was delivered to the room at 7:30 and then some writing and the gym. It was nearly empty again, which was great, no wait for the lifecycle. 

There were a few guys from my traveling group there. From the gym it was over to the Retreat lounge, which is on the same deck, to get my cappuccino so I could really start my day the way I like. My friend Sid, from Carmel, was there, and we go to chat a little. He was going to play Rummikub with Janie and Will. I had my kindle with me and read for a while. There was going to be another party in Scott and Dustin’s Iconic suite as we entered the Arctic circle. The Captain announced he was going to host a pool party to celebrate and he and other senior officers would jump into the pool, and you could have your nose painted blue, in honor of crossing into the Arctic Circle. I did neither, jump into the pool or get the blue nose, but enjoyed watching the Captain come out of the pool in full uniform. A few of the guests actually went into the pool as well and the few that did had on bathing suits, always a few crazies on board, lol. They are the ones who do the polar plunges at home.

Then on my schedule for the day was the LGBTQ happy hour at 6:00pm and dinner reservations at Fine Cut, the steakhouse at 8:30pm. The meal was ok but can’t compare with EDEN as far as I am concerned. The filet mignon at EDEN was much better than the one at the steakhouse. There were a couple of other issues and when the nice lady came to the table asking if everything was ok, I let loose with my complaints. Told her it wasn’t her fault but hoped she would pass them along to the chef. She stopped by later and told me they would refund the money I paid for the dinner as it was one of my specialty restaurant dinners, you pay extra for those. I thought that was nice and thanked her. Tried to get the whole table comped but she wouldn’t go for that. After dinner I headed to the show in the Eden Lounge, a really good violinist. Then it was off to bed.

Day six we arrived in Tromso, often referred to as the Arctic’s capital. It is located above the Arctic Circle. We didn’t have a tour planned, but Celebrity said they would have shuttle busses available to take you into town. Problem was 1,000 passengers, and eight busses. The lines were ridiculous. So, a few of us hopped a taxi and headed to town. We had a nice taxi driver who asked us what port we had been to last and when we told him Flam, he said “oh you could go home now, Tromso is boring compared to Flam.” He wasn’t all wrong, but we enjoyed walking around town, and went to the Polar Museum, and my friends did some shopping. We got a kick out of the names of some places like “The Bastard Bar” and “The Misfit Bar.” There was also a Burger King and a 7 Eleven, just to make us feel at home. We walked around for a couple of hours and then did get a shuttle bus back. We had met David and Kate, and Kate and I headed to the shuttle bus stop where we saw Scott was also waiting. There was a long line but Scott told us as Retreat guests we could jump the line, so we did. Just as we were heading back to the ship it started to drizzle, again, the timing was great.

Then off to another happy hour and there was a show many of wanted to see at The Club that evening. It was Caravan, with the EDEN production cast, which included Kyrylo and Yaroslav, the Ukrainian gymnasts, and aerialists. Scott and Dustin had their butler get us into The Club first, for front row seats. The show was great. The full cast is amazingly talented. Then we had a late dinner in Normandie. Another tough day on board the APEX. Tomorrow we were off to Honningsvag. It would be a later start to the day which was great.

Blog # 4 Celebrity APEX cruise, Norwegian Fjords, and the Arctic

Day 7 dawned sunny, and much warmer than we anticipated. They told us Norway was having a heat wave. We were in Honningsvag, the northernmost city in mainland Europe. There were brightly painted wooden buildings, breathtaking fjords, and loads of waterfalls. The entire town had been rebuilt after World War II. We had twenty-four hours of sun; the sun doesn’t set here in the summer. We had a tour which took us to North Cape, for some incredible views, and interesting exhibits of the history of the area. It included information on how the King of Thailand had come to visit. There was an interesting installation, from a distance you could think it was a mini-Stonehenge, that was based on, and designed, by some children from around the world who visited in 1988. Then back to the ship for another relaxed evening. This time I headed to the theater for the 7:30 show, Tree of Life. A show I had seen before on another cruise, but worth seeing again. The casts of all the shows on board are incredibly talented. The dancers, singers, and aerialists, all make an evening in the theater exciting. What is great about the EDGE class ships main theater is the stage, with its risers and turntable, and the digital screens they have. Then dinner after the show. While I tend to head to bed early, there are many in my group, who keep going until late in the evening. The casino, the Martini Bar, and a host of other venues, go late into the night.

Day 8 was another day at sea. We cruised around the Arctic circle and then headed toward Geiranger, Norway. Once again, Sea days for me are always wonderful lazy days. That is the reason why I enjoy my annual transatlantic cruises. This years will begin in Rome on Halloween. The thirteen days back to Ft. Lauderdale. I had my usual breakfast in the room, then writing, then the gym, then the Retreat lounge for my cappuccino, and half the day is already gone. The evening included the LGBTQ happy hour, a show, and dinner. The only real decision to make is; dinner first and then the show, or the other way around.

Then often a late show in either EDEN or THE Club. On this day it was the Barricade Boys in the main theater, before dinner. They are good but the audio wasn’t, so the orchestra and the singers seemed to be competing. Then it was dinner and a late show in EDEN with my favorite cast of course including Kyrylo and Yaroslav.

Day 9 we arrived in Geiranger. It is an amazing city with a richly deserved designation as a UNESCO world heritage site. Once again blessed with incredible weather, we all took pictures as the Captain stopped the ship as we passed what are called the seven sister waterfalls in the Geiranger Fjord. Beautiful site to see. We learned 97% of the energy used on Geiranger comes from harnessing the power of all the waterfalls around the Island. They told us that by 2032 they hope to ban all fossil fuel using ships. They hope by that time there will be some electric ships, as Geiranger has a permanent population of less than 200, and last year there were nearly one million visitors.

We went on an excursion high up in the mountains with incredible vistas and lots of snow. Then we walked around the town. It was really a perfect visit. Then back to the ship for another evening of food, drink, music, and good company. What more could anyone ask. Life really is good. Some of us talked about just a twinge of guilt knowing the felon in the White House was making life intolerable for many, yet here we were. But we all agreed if we were to stop living our best lives in protest, he would win.

Day 10 and we were in Alesund. It was nearly seventy degrees, and sunny. The town was alight with gay flags. We were told there would be a PRIDE parade and festival starting at 2pm. So, it was off to our morning excursions which for me was to Alnes and some other fishing villages. We stopped at a beautiful historic church and once again the views everywhere we went were fantastic. At one stop we were treated to coffee and some chocolate cake. I struck up a conversation with a young man working there who was a high school senior. His name was Samuel, and he was hoping to go to university in the United States if the felon doesn’t mess up his plans. He wants to be a film director and go to school in California. He does have a good connection through one of his teachers who is friends with the director of Troll, now on Netflix.

When we got back to the center of town it was time for the Pride parade. It was just great to see so many young families and little kids waving gay flags. I met a family from Atlanta who were traveling through Norway and just happened to be here on this day for the parade. They had their kids with them, one a senior in high school, who is gay. They were fun to chat with. Then there were the sailors ready to march, and they had come from the military ship we had seen in the harbor. All-in-all the town was dressed in PRIDE colors, and it was so wonderful to see. That night back on the ship the cruise director had planned a PRIDE party in The Club. It was fun. Another incredible day in Norway, and on the Celebrity APEX.

Peter Rosenstein is a longtime LGBTQ rights and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly for the Blade.