San Francisco drag artist Hilary Rivers is finally free and has been granted asylum in the U.S. after spending three traumatic months in ICE detention — a period she describes as “terrifying” and filled with fear, harassment, and inhumane conditions.
Rivers, originally from El Salvador and raised in Guatemala, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers on June 26, just one day after performing in the Miss and Mr. Safe Latino pageant. She was detained outside an immigration court in what she and advocates are calling a targeted operation.
“A few days before my court date, friends warned me not to appear because people were being picked up,” Rivers told El Tecolote. “But I wanted to do things right. I knew if I didn’t show up, I could get an automatic deportation order.”
That decision — to follow due process — came at a steep cost.
“They grabbed me, pushed me against the wall, and shackled me,” she recalled. “My lawyer tried to intervene but they pushed him aside. They put my hands and feet in chains. I’ve never been arrested before. It was terrifying.”
Months of Abuse and Fear Behind Bars
Rivers was transferred to the Golden State Annex detention centre in McFarland, roughly 250 miles from her home in San Francisco. There, she says she endured harassment and unsafe conditions that left her and other detainees vulnerable and afraid.
“Staff didn’t protect us,” she said. “There were no safeguards against harassment or sexual violence. I even woke up once to someone touching me.”
She described an environment lacking even the most basic comforts.
“We had to stand for hours because there was no space to sit, no air, and we were freezing.”
Freedom, But at a High Cost
Hilary Rivers was released on September 20 and granted asylum — a rare and hard-won victory in a system increasingly criticised for its treatment of LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. But coming home has brought new challenges: she’s lost her housing, personal documents, and financial stability.
Still, she’s not backing down.
“We have to fight for our dreams,” she said. “I paid a high price, but nothing is impossible. Don’t let them break you. Don’t sign things you don’t understand. Know your rights. We all have the same worth, no matter where we’re from.”
Support from the Community
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help Rivers rebuild her life in San Francisco. Advocates say her case is a reminder of the danger trans and queer immigrants face in detention — and the power of community in securing justice.
Her release also comes amid heightened scrutiny of ICE and its practices. The agency currently receives $76.5 billion in federal funding and is expanding operations under new immigration directives. Over 115,000 applications have been received for 10,000 new ICE jobs as part of the ongoing enforcement ramp-up.
In September, TikToker Eric Duran publicly thanked supporters as he worked to free his boyfriend from ICE custody, underscoring how social media and advocacy can move the needle in similar cases.
