Hilary Rivers Vanished After a Scheduled Immigration Appointment
Members of San Francisco’s queer and trans communities gathered outside the local Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office Thursday evening to protest the detention of Hilary Rivers, a local drag performer and immigrant whose sudden disappearance has alarmed supporters, as reported by Marke B at 48 Hills.com.
Rivers was taken into ICE custody Wednesday morning during a scheduled immigration appointment at the agency’s field office at 630 Sansome Street, according to friends and advocates. His current location remains unknown.
“Right now, we want to locate him so that he can make the decision about how his information is shared,” Rivera said, “so we can protect his identity under confidentiality. We also want to make sure he is safe and has any necessary medications or items.
The incident came just hours after Rivers competed in the 30th annual Miss & Mr. Safe Latino Pageant, a Pride Week event that celebrates health and visibility in the LGBTQ+ Latinx community. Rivers uses he/him pronouns; his legal name is being withheld to protect his privacy while he remains in custody.
“But we are also urging concerned community members to flood the SF ICE field office [1-415-365-8800] and Mesa Verde ICE detention center [1-888-351-4024] with calls and ask to know where he is, describing the details of what happened: ‘I am calling to inquire about the whereabouts of a San Francisco resident who was taken into custody Thursday morning at the San Francisco field office during a scheduled immigration meeting. Our beloved community member is a performer who goes by the name Hilary Rivers. Can you tell me where he is?
