Migrant Support Collective

Migrant Support Collective operates within the larger movement ecosystem through partnerships with immigration and LGBTQ+ focused organizations, and is fiscally sponsored by Organized Communities Against Deportations (OCAD), an undocumented-led nonprofit in Chicago that fights deportation cases in collaboration with attorneys, other community organizations, and volunteers. Through a dual approach incorporating direct services and advocacy work, we engage in cross-movement solidarity and intersectional analysis to address the systemic oppression of migrants.

MSC operates the following programs for migrants detained nationwide:

• Library Program: Funding access to books, journals, and writing supplies.
• Art as Advocacy Program: Supporting creativity and self-expression through art.
• Data Transparency Initiative: Uplifting LGBTQ+ migrants through data and storytelling.
• LGBTQ+ Mental Health Initiative: Mental health support and educational materials in English and Spanish.

The traumatic conditions of ICE detention threaten LGBTQ+ migrants’ physical and psychological safety, and drain the energy they need to reclaim their power. But when LGBTQ+ detained migrants become members of Migrant Support Collective, they gain access to programs that provide the resources they need to take leadership as organizers in the fight to end detention. Guided by the expertise of our members, Migrant Support Collective advocates for an end to detention through innovative programs that combine policy, storytelling, the arts, and mental health.