Decarceral Resources (esp. for Queer + TGNC people)

For Youth

  • JustUs – Rising Ground – Diversion program for LGBTQ+ and GNC youth in the justice system, offering holistic support and stipends.
  • Recess Assembly - Diversion program for young folks including TGNC + Queer System Impacted Young people (18-26 y/o) 
  • The Door - Legal support + Aid 

Legal & Advocacy Support

  • Sylvia Rivera Law Project – Free legal services for low-income TGNC individuals, including ID changes, name/gender marker updates, immigration, and incarceration support.
  • NYC LGBT Health & Human Services Network – Connects queer youth to over 60+ service providers across NYC.
  • Audre Lorde Project – Grassroots organizing, peer support, and TGNC youth empowerment for LGBTQ+ people of color.
  • Legal Aid Society LGBTQ+ Law Unit – Legal representation for name and gender marker changes, housing, benefits, and discrimination cases.
  • TLC Name Change Project – Step-by-step guidance and legal clinic connections to support trans and nonbinary New Yorkers with court-ordered name and gender marker changes.

Immigration & Legal Support


  • Immigration Equality – the only LGBTQ+ legal org led by immigration attorneys, offering free direct legal representation in asylum, deportation defense, family-based petitions, and more.
  • Queer Immigrant Justice Project (QIJP) – Provides free legal services for name and gender marker changes, plus immigration representation, and connects clients to social services, housing, and healthcare.
  • NYC LGBT Freedom & Asylum Network – Community-run frontline network offering a hotline (347‑645‑9339), legal support, and appointments in multiple languages for LGBTQ asylum seekers 
  • National Immigrant Justice Center’s LGBTQ Initiative – A broader U.S. network offering free legal aid to low-income LGBTQ+ immigrants and asylum seekers. 
  • Refuge America (NYC Service partner) – Grassroots mutual aid network building connections and supports for LGBTQ+ displaced individuals, centering storytelling and community integration. 
  • Rainbow Railroad – Though international in scope, operates from NYC to help LGBTQI+ people facing violence to escape and resettle safely. They've aided over 10,000 individuals in 2025 alone. 
  • Carolyn Tran / CUSP (Communities United for Status & Protection) – Grassroots, queer- and migrant-led coalition rooted in community organizing for immigrant rights, including LGBTQIA+ migrants. 
  • African Services Committee – Offers no-cost mental health and support groups specifically for LGBTQ+ individuals from the African diaspora. Centered in Harlem