Transgender who fled U.S. fears for life in Dutch migrant camp

Subhead:A transgender American refugee who fled the U.S. over Trump's policies is now reportedly feeling unsafe in a Dutch asylum centre. Meanwhile, those in the camp from Libya, Algeria, and Somalia are asking why any American would leave what they call "paradise."# YouTube-embed:9rYewaDCjUk A transgender American who fled the United States citing Donald Trump's policies has ended up in the Netherlands' largest migrant centre — and is now telling Dutch television that he fears being killed there. Sheila Gunn Reid and Tamara Ugolini shared their thoughts on the predictable turn of events on Thursday's Rebel Roundup. The unnamed biological male was placed in the Ter Apel asylum centre, a facility housing roughly 2,200 people from around the world but predominantly from Middle Eastern and African countries. In Dutch media, the site is know for its for overcrowding and violence. "Between here and there is a bunch of Algerians and Moroccans who think that queer people should be beaten," the man told a Dutch news program. Sheila noted the irony was hard to miss. "All of a sudden, the U.S. doesn't seem so bad now, does it?" she said. Tamara added that actual refugees from Libya, Algeria, Somalia, and Syria sharing the same facility had their similar reactions to the American arrivals. One 21-year-old Libyan-Algerian man told a reporter is " dream is to go to America or the U.K., America for me is paradise,” and wondered why the trans-identifying American would even come to the Netherlands.

Transgender who fled U.S. fears for life in Dutch migrant camp A transgender American refugee who fled the U.S. over Trump's policies is now reportedly feeling unsafe in a Dutch asylum centre. Meanwhile, those in the camp from Libya, Algeria, and Somalia are asking why any American would leave what they call "paradise." A transgender American who fled the United States citing Donald Trump's policies has ended up in the Netherlands' largest migrant centre — and is now telling Dutch television that he fears being killed there.

Sheila Gunn Reid and Tamara Ugolini shared their thoughts on the predictable turn of events on Thursday's Rebel Roundup. The unnamed biological male was placed in the Ter Apel asylum centre, a facility housing roughly 2,200 people from around the world but predominantly from Middle Eastern and African countries. In Dutch media, the site is know for its for overcrowding and violence.

"Between here and there is a bunch of Algerians and Moroccans who think that queer people should be beaten," the man told a Dutch news program. Sheila noted the irony was hard to miss. "All of a sudden, the U.S. doesn't seem so bad now, does it?"

she said. Tamara added that actual refugees from Libya, Algeria, Somalia, and Syria sharing the same facility had their similar reactions to the American arrivals. One 21-year-old Libyan-Algerian man told a reporter is " dream is to go to America or the U.K., America for me is paradise,” and wondered why the trans-identifying American would even come to the Netherlands.

One of the American "refugees" identified in reporting on the facility was a 47-year-old software engineer from San Francisco who flew into Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport and sobbed while asking a customs officer how to claim asylum. The customs officer apparently laughed in response, which prompted Sheila to say "they were right to laugh." A second story the hosts discussed was back in Canada, where a CBC report revealed an Ontario judge refused to order the Correctional Service of Canada to transfer Amanda Cooper — a 59-year-old designated dangerous offender with a lengthy record of sex crimes against women who underwent gender surgery in 2024 — from a men's prison to a women's institution.

Justice Janet Furer said in her decision that she dismissed the application "not without some reluctance," referring to Cooper throughout as "Ms." and making clear the ruling should not be read as a blanket prohibition on transferring transgender dangerous offenders to women's facilities. "Each such case will depend on their unique circumstances," she wrote. "This is a judge who would normally put a dude in a female prison," Sheila said, "but for the fact that Ms. Cooper was so unmitigated in their desire to reoffend in a sexual manner."

As of October 2024, 90 federal inmates identified as transgender women, with 17 of those incarcerated in women's facilities. Rebel Roundup airs Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 11 a.m. MT / 1 p.m. ET. Catch the most impactful clips from our daily news livestream, Rebel Roundup, featuring breaking stories, bold opinions, and exclusive insights from our top reporters.

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