Congress has promised to begin the process of reforming America's broken immigration system later this year. There is widespread consensus that reform is urgently needed, and a growing insistence among lawmakers that any reform effort must adhere to our nation's long-standing commitment to family unification. Under current immigration law, millions of families remain separated because of inexcusable visa backlogs, unnecessary bureaucratic paper trails and discriminatory policies that do not recognize lesbian and gay families for the purposes of equal immigration rights.
For all of those families, time is of the essence. Every day, loved ones are forcibly separated from each other. For too many, the American dream is one that cannot yet be shared with their spouse, sibling or significant other.
As Congress begins to debate immigration reform, all of our families
Search results for mecadotan, family
Shirley Tan and Family to March with Out4Immigration at San Francisco Pride 2009
Posted by
BinatUK 1066 days ago
(http://www.indybay.org)
Shirley Tan, her partner Jay Mercado, and their two children will join Out4Immigration—the all volunteer, grassroots advocate for same-sex binational couples and their families—at the San Francisco 2009 Pride Parade on Sunday, June 28th. Together, they will be marching for equal immigration rights for same-sex binational couples to remain together in the U.S. by urging Congress to pass the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA).
An immigration bill introduced in the House of Representatives last week would allow homosexuals to sponsor their “permanent partners” for residency in the United States in the same way that heterosexual married couples are allowed to do. Critics say the legislation opens the door to widespread fraud.
The Reuniting Families Act classifies the children and spouses of lawful permanent U.S. residents as “immediate relatives,” allowing them to quickly qualify for a visa. It also “ends discrimination in immigration law” by allowing same-sex “permanent partners” to reunite in the United States. Asked about countries that lack formal recognition of same-sex marriage (that would include most countries), Nadler told CNSNews.com, “presenting your marriage certificate is not it …they will ask you more questions, you will have to submit more proof.” He did not specify what kind of
The Reuniting Families Act classifies the children and spouses of lawful permanent U.S. residents as “immediate relatives,” allowing them to quickly qualify for a visa. It also “ends discrimination in immigration law” by allowing same-sex “permanent partners” to reunite in the United States. Asked about countries that lack formal recognition of same-sex marriage (that would include most countries), Nadler told CNSNews.com, “presenting your marriage certificate is not it …they will ask you more questions, you will have to submit more proof.” He did not specify what kind of
US immigration for family members may become faster
Posted by
OneVoice 1079 days ago
(http://www.workpermit.com)
If passed, new legislation will mean that families members including same-sex partners will be able to gain faster entry to the US. This is part of the ongoing efforts at immigration reform in the US. Family based immigration would be given priority; Unused visas from previous years will increase the number of visas available.
Mike Honda, who heads the caucus of Asian Americans, said that family members in some Countries have to wait decades to gain entry to the US.
"The benefits cannot be overstated," Honda said. "American workers with families by their side are happier, healthier and more able to succeed than those distanced from loved ones for years on end."
Mike Honda, who heads the caucus of Asian Americans, said that family members in some Countries have to wait decades to gain entry to the US.
"The benefits cannot be overstated," Honda said. "American workers with families by their side are happier, healthier and more able to succeed than those distanced from loved ones for years on end."
US immigration targets family reunification (GlobalVisas)
Posted by
freedom2immigrate 1084 days ago
(http://www.globalvisas.com)
The rules would allow Americans to apply to have their families move to the US and would see the number of available US visas increase. This would be possible as unused US visa quotas will be passed on to the following year for use in the reunification scheme.
The proposed legislation is, however, proving controversial in some areas of the US population, such as the Catholic Church, as it allows US workers to bring their foreign same-sex partners to live with them and work in the US.
Democrat Congressman Neil Abercrombie says the legislation will not discriminate against gay people and stated, "this is something we're not backing down on."
Abercrombie adds that the lawmakers wish to learn from American history and avoid discrimination of the kind seen in the past. He explains, “there has always been somebody...after they got here, then they wanted
The proposed legislation is, however, proving controversial in some areas of the US population, such as the Catholic Church, as it allows US workers to bring their foreign same-sex partners to live with them and work in the US.
Democrat Congressman Neil Abercrombie says the legislation will not discriminate against gay people and stated, "this is something we're not backing down on."
Abercrombie adds that the lawmakers wish to learn from American history and avoid discrimination of the kind seen in the past. He explains, “there has always been somebody...after they got here, then they wanted
US lawmakers seek to ease family immigration (AFP)
Posted by
freedom2immigrate 1085 days ago
(http://www.google.com)
US lawmakers on Thursday unveiled legislation to help reunite families split apart for years by the creaky immigration system -- including, controversially, same-sex partners. It would also allow Americans to bring in same-sex partners as family members. The provision has triggered the opposition of the Roman Catholic Church, which usually supports measures to liberalize immigration.
Neil Abercrombie, a Democratic congressman from Hawaii, said that excluding gay partners was a form of discrimination of the type seen periodically throughout US history.
Neil Abercrombie, a Democratic congressman from Hawaii, said that excluding gay partners was a form of discrimination of the type seen periodically throughout US history.
Family unity redefined today by Uniting American Families Act
Posted by
DividedByLaw 1086 days ago
(http://www.racewire.org)
Immigration and LGBT rights seem like two political third rails that wouldn’t cross in Washington. But a Senate hearing today discussed legislation that would elegantly fuse the two, by equalizing immigration law for same-sex partners.
The Uniting American Families Act would remove major legal barriers currently facing binational same-sex couples with citizen or permanent-resident partners, allowing individuals to sponsor immigrant partners for legal status. This bill promises plenty of cannon fodder for the anti-immigrant, anti-gay right. Yet it could be a platform for further bridging the marriage-equality movement with civil rights and immigrant rights struggles.
(One way to deal with the legality problem, of course, would be uniform, federally based recognition of same-sex marriage or domestic partnership. But if the goal is excluding more immigrants, why
The Uniting American Families Act would remove major legal barriers currently facing binational same-sex couples with citizen or permanent-resident partners, allowing individuals to sponsor immigrant partners for legal status. This bill promises plenty of cannon fodder for the anti-immigrant, anti-gay right. Yet it could be a platform for further bridging the marriage-equality movement with civil rights and immigrant rights struggles.
(One way to deal with the legality problem, of course, would be uniform, federally based recognition of same-sex marriage or domestic partnership. But if the goal is excluding more immigrants, why
Mecado Tan Family
Posted by
NLXile 1090 days ago
(http://loveexiles.wordpress.com)
Each of us did one or two things that we could do. And for that moment, we gave up feeling powerlessness, stopped being resigned and cynical. We know we will wake up again tomorrow as second class citiznens in the eyes of US federal law. And all we can do is take one more step. It is the only way we will win. It’s up to us.
On 23 March 2009, Lin and Martha McDevitt-Pugh of the Love Exiles Foundation had the opportunity to meet the Mercado-Tan family: two moms and their twin sons who live in Pacifica, California.
Mother Shirley Tan is an asylum seeker and was scheduled to be deported to a country she hasn’t visited in more than 20 years and where she nearly lost her life at age 14 when a cousin killed her mother and sister over an inheritance. This morning, April 23 2009, Melanie Nathan of Private Courts, who has...
On 23 March 2009, Lin and Martha McDevitt-Pugh of the Love Exiles Foundation had the opportunity to meet the Mercado-Tan family: two moms and their twin sons who live in Pacifica, California.
Mother Shirley Tan is an asylum seeker and was scheduled to be deported to a country she hasn’t visited in more than 20 years and where she nearly lost her life at age 14 when a cousin killed her mother and sister over an inheritance. This morning, April 23 2009, Melanie Nathan of Private Courts, who has...
We are family
Posted by
OurHero-Tan 1109 days ago
(http://latersnyc.blogspot.com)
I keep reading how, if they made gay immigration official it could lead to people lying about their relationships to bring people into the US to obtain their Green Cards. That happens now .... friends get married so someone doesn't have ...
A Philippines-born lesbian mother ordered to leave the country next month for overstaying her visa will likely be allowed to stay through next year thanks to intervention from U.S. Sen.
Binational Family Profiled in 'People'
Posted by
BrenDAL 1135 days ago
(http://immigration.change.org)
...accountability and how it's missing from immigration enforcement. ... One binational LGBT family has been profiled in People magazine. These
Whatever happened to family values (Action Left)
Posted by
OurHero-Tan 1139 days ago
(http://www.revivingliberalism.com)
This entry was posted on Thursday, April 2nd, 2009 at 10:55 pm and is filed under Action Alert, Activism, Gay, Immigration, LGBT, Lesbian, Politics, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. ...
@Lee Some of the organizations who are supporting our cause ; Marriage Equality USA, Join The Impact, Love Exiles, API Equality, etc. We have a lot of support from different advocate groups and we will be able to get a lot more as we ...
Lesbian Mom Fights Deportation to Stay With Her Family
Posted by
DividedByLaw 1143 days ago
(http://www.proudparenting.com)
If you would like to help the fight to keep lesbian mom Shirley Tan in the country with her wife and children, GLAAD is partnering with Immigration Equality to bring widespread media coverage to this issue. You can spread the word by ...
One such organization leading the fight for the couple is Immigration Equality. According to Immigration Equality executive director Rachel Tiven, the situation Tan and her partner are facing is not unique. "An American citizen like Jay ...
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Promoting public awareness of the need for fairness in immigration policy particularly as it relates to the rights of same-sex bi-national couples in the United States who seek equal immigration rights; Providing information regarding political issues relating to gay immigration equality issues, rights and policy.