US Supreme Court rules in favour of trans woman

The US Supreme Court has ruled in favour of a trans Guatemalan woman fighting deportation.

Estrella Santos-Zacaria, who feared returning to Guatemala due to physical harm and death threats as a transgender woman attracted to men, arrived in the US as a teenager but was deported in 2008. After spending most of her time in Mexico, she attempted to enter the country again in 2018 but was apprehended by immigration officials.

The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals rejected her request to remain in the US, but the Supreme Court has now overturned that ruling. In a unanimous opinion, the justices referred to Santos-Zacaria by her preferred pronouns and name.

The ruling comes at a time when anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is sweeping the country, making this decision a remarkable one.