Jane-Michelle Arc, a 48-year-old transgender American and former software engineer from San Francisco, who sought asylum in the Netherlands due to fears surrounding President Donald Trump's second term, now states that the European refugee camp she fled to has become more perilous than her home country. Arc, who completed her gender transition in 2012 with legal documentation updated in 2013, currently resides at Ter Apel, a large asylum facility housing approximately 2,000 migrants from various nations, including Syria, Somalia, and Eritrea.
"The situation I have in the US as a trans person, not good right, but here, I will be hurt or killed." — Jane-Michelle Arc, Asylum Seeker
Violence at the Ter Apel facility has escalated to such a degree that Red Cross workers have suspended their aid operations, citing repeated stabbings and mass brawls occurring just outside the camp's perimeter. Arc informed the local Dutch outlet Pow News that her assessment of danger has completely reversed since her arrival. "The situation I have in the US as a trans person, not good right, but here, I will be hurt or killed," she stated.
Dutch authorities have responded to the unrest by significantly restricting entry to the camp. Since May 20, the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers has limited access to women, children, and other vulnerable applicants, leaving remaining asylum seekers to wait outdoors until space becomes available. The Red Cross attributes the violence to external actors rather than residents, describing it as driven by "a small group of men who are generally not among the people seeking assistance."
Arc depicted a grim reality of daily life near the facility, noting that even routine tasks like grocery shopping carry risk. "It is too dangerous to walk to the grocery store because of the people that live in the camp, and I’m one of them, I live here," she explained. She also highlighted a visible indicator of the danger faced by staff, observing, "You see these guys in yellow vests, they actually wear them because there are so many stabbings." In response to the escalating situation, Dutch Asylum and Migration Minister Van den Brink has formally designated the area surrounding Ter Apel as a safety risk zone, which grants law enforcement the authority to conduct preventive searches, according to NL Times. Planned improvements include a new day shelter, expanded camera surveillance, four additional guards, and two special enforcement officers.
Arc's journey to the Netherlands commenced following President Trump's re-election, when she expressed concerns about potentially losing workplace, housing, and healthcare protections related to her gender transition. She also cited a passport renewal requirement that would have mandated listing her sex as male as a factor in her decision to leave the country. In an earlier interview with The Guardian, Arc acknowledged the recklessness of her choice. "I did it because I was afraid for my life. I didn’t do this in secret. I talked to everybody I knew. I said: ‘I am planning to do this wildly stupid thing,'" she recounted, adding that friends had told her, "I don’t love this for you, but there is no other option."
Now, Arc seeks to reverse her course entirely. Writing on Substack, she indicated that her time abroad has strengthened her ties to the United States rather than replacing them. A friend, Jana Lynne Sanchez, has initiated a fundraiser to assist Arc with the cost of a replacement passport and travel expenses to the U.S. consulate in Amsterdam. Sanchez posted on Facebook that Arc's partner in the U.S. has since been diagnosed with cancer, with a positive prognosis following surgery, further intensifying Arc's desire to return home.
Arc described the initial conditions within the Dutch immigration system as harsh, including being housed in a cramped room she believed had bodily fluid stains on the walls. She was later transferred to shared housing specifically for LGBT residents, which she credited with providing a sense of community. Dutch officials do not track the number of transgender Americans who have filed asylum claims, although Arc estimated the figure to be between 35 and 50. Marlou Schrover, an immigration scholar at Leiden University, told reporters that American applicants face considerable challenges, noting that a successful claim would likely require proof that the U.S. government was imprisoning individuals specifically due to their gender identity. According to the Dutch asylum ministry, approximately 20 failed American applicants were deported from the Netherlands back to the U.S. in 2025.
This surge in asylum applications coincides with a broader legal shift in the United States. On June 30, the Supreme Court upheld state laws prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in girls' and women's school sports. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the majority, stated that Title IX supports "separate sports teams for biological males and biological females," adding that such a policy "can reduce the risk of physical injury and ensure fair competition." President Trump praised the decision on Truth Social, writing: "BIG WIN: The United States Supreme Court just RULED AGAINST MEN PLAYING IN WOMEN’S SPORTS. Wow! That takes that ridiculous situation off the table!!!"
