You're from the United States. You fall in love with a foreign national. Straight couples have legal recourse in this situation: get married and sponsor your spouse for citizenship.
Gay couples in this situation have no legal recourse, an issue that SF Weekly recently highlighted with the stories of several same-sex couples who were separated by US immigration law, or had one partner living in the United States illegally.
Because the federal Defense of Marriage Act prohibits legal recognition of same-sex relationships, couples married in California, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa and Vermont can't sponsor their spouses for citizenship either.
Democrats in the Senate have included a provision for same-sex couples in their immigration reform proposal released April 29, which will give them the same immigration rights as straight cou
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Is Immigration rights for same sex couples possible
Posted by
BinatUK 705 days ago
(http://www.sfgate.com)
Immigration Equality announces action fund
Posted by
USAFrance 879 days ago
(http://sdgln.com)
Immigration Equality, a non-profit advocacy and legal aid organization serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and HIV-positive immigrants and their families, announced today that it has established a “501(c)4” entity, the Immigration Equality Action Fund, to significantly increase its federal advocacy and grassroots organizing work. The Action Fund’s launch also includes an expanded office in Washington, D.C., where a new policy staffer and an online grassroots organizer will soon join the organization.
“The launch of the Immigration Equality Action Fund comes at a critical moment in our work to advocate on behalf of LGBT immigrant families,” said Rachel B. Tiven, the organization’s executive director. “As Congress turns its attention to comprehensive immigration reform, and as a record number of lawmakers signal their support for the Uniting American Families A
“The launch of the Immigration Equality Action Fund comes at a critical moment in our work to advocate on behalf of LGBT immigrant families,” said Rachel B. Tiven, the organization’s executive director. “As Congress turns its attention to comprehensive immigration reform, and as a record number of lawmakers signal their support for the Uniting American Families A
To a mayor from a mayor in exile (Love Exiles)
Posted by
igualdad 901 days ago
(http://loveexiles.wordpress.com)
Love Exiles. Passionate about equality of binational gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender families. December 6, 2009. To a mayor from a mayor in exile. Posted by loveexiles under equal rights for families · Leave a Comment ...
UAFA Gains Influential New Cosponsor
Posted by
freedom2immigrate 901 days ago
(http://sdgln.com)
Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee (and formerly that committee’s Republican Chairman), has signed on as a cosponsor of the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA).
At last June’s Senate Judiciary Committee UAFA hearing, Specter expressed strong support for ending discrimination against gay and lesbian Americans and their families in immigration law. Immigration Equality applauds Senator Specter for his support for LGBT binational families.
Eight of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s twelve Democrats are now cosponsors of UAFA. A ninth, Senator Ted Kaufman of Delaware, recently publicly stated his support for equal immigration rights for LGBT families
At last June’s Senate Judiciary Committee UAFA hearing, Specter expressed strong support for ending discrimination against gay and lesbian Americans and their families in immigration law. Immigration Equality applauds Senator Specter for his support for LGBT binational families.
Eight of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s twelve Democrats are now cosponsors of UAFA. A ninth, Senator Ted Kaufman of Delaware, recently publicly stated his support for equal immigration rights for LGBT families
Gay former mayor finds acceptance in Texas
Posted by
JesSEA 993 days ago
(http://www.gaypolitics.com)
In politics, love can be problematic. (Just ask South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford.) Add being openly gay to the mix and problems can become scandals. But something odd happened when the mayor of San Angelo, Texas followed his gay heart.
J. W. Lown absconded to Mexico to be with his same-sex lover, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. But where one would have expected to find fiery outrage, there was a surprsing calm, according to Texas Monthly....
J. W. Lown absconded to Mexico to be with his same-sex lover, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. But where one would have expected to find fiery outrage, there was a surprsing calm, according to Texas Monthly....
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).
Mayors move not thought out (San Angelo Standard Times)
Posted by
USABound 1078 days ago
(http://www.gosanangelo.com)
As details about J.W. Lown’s predicament emerge, it becomes clearer that the former mayor showed extraordinarily poor judgment in the decisions he made in resigning suddenly and relocating to Mexico with his partner.
The effects on San Angelo have been considered fully since his departure on May 19, the day he was to be sworn in for his fourth term. More recently it has become evident that the impulsiveness of his actions — which were out of character for San Angelo’s youngest mayor — adversely affected his own future. Even after Lown made public that his partner was here illegally, the process of deporting the man might have taken years. At any rate, immigration lawyers say he would have been in a better position for applying for legal status from here than from Mexico.
According to an immigration lawyer who commented for a story in Sunday’s Standard-Times, t
The effects on San Angelo have been considered fully since his departure on May 19, the day he was to be sworn in for his fourth term. More recently it has become evident that the impulsiveness of his actions — which were out of character for San Angelo’s youngest mayor — adversely affected his own future. Even after Lown made public that his partner was here illegally, the process of deporting the man might have taken years. At any rate, immigration lawyers say he would have been in a better position for applying for legal status from here than from Mexico.
According to an immigration lawyer who commented for a story in Sunday’s Standard-Times, t
AP - In this Saturday, May 9, 2009, photo San Angelo Mayor J.W. Lown greets arriving supporters to his election party at the Old Chicken Farm Art Center in San Angelo,Texas. Lown resigned suddenly May 19 and offered a stunning explanation: He was in love with a man who was an illegal immigrant and had gone to Mexico.
The mayor of this West Texas sheep ranching town offered a stunning explanation when he suddenly resigned: He was in love with a man who was an illegal immigrant and had gone to Mexico.
They had to move, he said, because there was no legal way for them to remain together in the United States.
"It wasn't a decision that any U.S. citizen should have to make," former Mayor J.W. Lown said in an interview from Mexico. "I left a home. I left a ranch. I left a promising political career."
His local prominence and his run for the border on the day h
The mayor of this West Texas sheep ranching town offered a stunning explanation when he suddenly resigned: He was in love with a man who was an illegal immigrant and had gone to Mexico.
They had to move, he said, because there was no legal way for them to remain together in the United States.
"It wasn't a decision that any U.S. citizen should have to make," former Mayor J.W. Lown said in an interview from Mexico. "I left a home. I left a ranch. I left a promising political career."
His local prominence and his run for the border on the day h
Mayor JW Lown Lacking Basic Rights (LETTER)
Posted by
USAFrance 1091 days ago
(http://news.google.com)
LETTER: Rights lacking Reading through the responses that were published from readers about the resignation of Mayor J.W. Lown, it’s obvious that many people have a high opinion of him and are sorry to see him leave. Another thread that runs through the comments were more along the lines of: “He’s ditching a relationship with our community for a relationship of two months?”
Under U.S. law, Americans in same-sex relationships with people from another country have no legal grounds to be with that partner on the basis of the relationship alone. Indeed, federal law treats those of us in such relationships as legal strangers, with no legitimate basis to be together.
Comment: Oh brother....... so now the excuse of love will be used to skirt immigration laws........what next......???? It is bad enough that we allow married heterosexual illegal aliens to live here. D
Under U.S. law, Americans in same-sex relationships with people from another country have no legal grounds to be with that partner on the basis of the relationship alone. Indeed, federal law treats those of us in such relationships as legal strangers, with no legitimate basis to be together.
Comment: Oh brother....... so now the excuse of love will be used to skirt immigration laws........what next......???? It is bad enough that we allow married heterosexual illegal aliens to live here. D
Former San Angelo Mayor J.W. Lown resigned earlier this month in order to live with his partner in Mexico. Unlike a heterosexual couple who could resolve these dilemmas through marriage, same-sex couples simply do not have that option. "Our families are constantly faced with that kind of horrible decision; to give up their lives in the [United States] or give up their partner," she said.
"It’s really a matter of fundamental fairness," Neilson said. "The immigration system is centered on the family unity, but the government fails to recognize our families."
Although a few states acknowledge the relationships of same-sex couples through marriage and civil unions, federal law, which does not extend this recognition, forbids gays and lesbians to sponsor their undocumented spouse to legally immigrate into the country.
"You still have conflict with the feder
"It’s really a matter of fundamental fairness," Neilson said. "The immigration system is centered on the family unity, but the government fails to recognize our families."
Although a few states acknowledge the relationships of same-sex couples through marriage and civil unions, federal law, which does not extend this recognition, forbids gays and lesbians to sponsor their undocumented spouse to legally immigrate into the country.
"You still have conflict with the feder
Gay Mayor Takes on Immigration
Posted by
BinatUK 1094 days ago
(http://likeawhisper.wordpress.com)
f U.S. marriage policies extended to all consenting adults and U.S. immigration policy included the right for gay families to petition for their loved ones, Lown and his partner would not have had to leave the U.S. Were our laws set up to honor loving partnerships between consenting adults regardless of gender or sexuality, they could have made a legal commitment to one another that reflected their emotional one; that commitment would have extended the rights of citizenship accordingly. There is no telling how many immigrants and bi-national families have left this country because of these unequal standards.
While Lown and his partner’s plan should garner him a visa to re-enter, as long as no one puts a hold on his application for staying beyond the terms of his original education visa, visas are temporary. And U.S immigration policy continues to exclude queer families eve
While Lown and his partner’s plan should garner him a visa to re-enter, as long as no one puts a hold on his application for staying beyond the terms of his original education visa, visas are temporary. And U.S immigration policy continues to exclude queer families eve
JW Lown Popular Texas Mayor Resigns For Gay Immigrant Lover
Posted by
Fight4theRight 1097 days ago
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com)
UAFA- Uniting Immigration Act cannot come fast enough. See how you can get involved. This has nothing to do with marriage equality - at this point - the quicker route to immigration equality is the passage of UAFA. ...
The Uniting American Families Act is intended to address the problem by allowing U.S. citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their same-sex partners for family-based immigration purposes. UAFA was introduced in Congress by Sen. ...J.W. Lown, mayor of the west Texas city of San Angelo, has resigned in order to be with his partner, a Mexican national who does not currently have legal status in the United States. According to the San Angelo Standard-Times:
Lown said in a telephone call late Wednesday afternoon from Mexico that he has started a relationship with someone who does not have legal status in the United States. Lown said he did not want to take the oath of office knowing he was “aiding and assisting” someone who was not a citizen. “I made the final decision when I knew it was the right decision to make for me and my partner and our future - and for the community
Lown said in a telephone call late Wednesday afternoon from Mexico that he has started a relationship with someone who does not have legal status in the United States. Lown said he did not want to take the oath of office knowing he was “aiding and assisting” someone who was not a citizen. “I made the final decision when I knew it was the right decision to make for me and my partner and our future - and for the community
Gay West Texas Mayor Quits Chooses Foreign Partner Over His Job
Posted by
Fight4theRight 1099 days ago
(http://www.towleroad.com)
It highlights the urgent need to pass the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) when Obama tackles immigration reform. There are thousands of gay Americans who have foreign-born partners but because of DOMA and current policies they can ...
San Francisco Mayor Newsom Urges Census Count Same-Sex Couples
Posted by
OneVoice 1104 days ago
(http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com)
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom submitted a resolution Wednesday to the Board of Supervisors that would urge the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and the U.S. Census Bureau to recognize same-sex couples in the 2010 Census.
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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.