“[I]f done correctly and with the right patience and necessary evidence, paperwork, and steps, filing for and having your Russian bride enter the United States is relatively simple.”
It’s not so simple for bi-national GLBT couples, because we’re still waiting for legislation at the federal level that will allow GLB or T American citizens to bring or keep their partners and families in this country. Will O’Bryan, writing at Metro Weekly, has the story of Steve and Joe:
“I feel like a third-class citizen,” says Steve, who met Joe in Pittsburgh nearly a decade ago, as Joe attended school, eventually earning a doctoral degree in structural engineering. “We don’t have the same rights as heterosexual couples. We also don’t have the same rights as gay couples who are born in this country.”
The story then goes from bad to worse:...
ATLdave | Published 
Mail order brides have it easier
Posted by
ATLdave 1042 days ago
(http://www.miketidmus.com)
BiNational Gay Couples Cry Out for Security
Posted by
ATLdave 1050 days ago
(http://lifeafterjerusalem.blogspot.com)
This is an issue facing many LGBT Foreign Service families. Our heterosexual colleagues can fall in love overseas and get immigration visas for their spouses. IN fact, because of their service, heterosexual Foreign Service Officers can get what is referred to as "expeditious naturalization" for their spouses, meaning the spouse does not have to live in the U.S. the requisite amount of time before being naturalized.
Not so for LGBT folks in the Foreign Service. We are still often not allowed to bring our partners back to the U.S. if we want to do a D.C. posting (which is necessary to advance your career) unless we can get them a student visa or, if possible, a work visa. And forget retiring to the country you spent your life serving unless you plan to leave behind the partner who served it with you....The Uniting American Families Act, pending in the House and Senate, would
Not so for LGBT folks in the Foreign Service. We are still often not allowed to bring our partners back to the U.S. if we want to do a D.C. posting (which is necessary to advance your career) unless we can get them a student visa or, if possible, a work visa. And forget retiring to the country you spent your life serving unless you plan to leave behind the partner who served it with you....The Uniting American Families Act, pending in the House and Senate, would
The Ins and Outs of the HIV Travel and Immigration Ban
Posted by
ATLdave 1056 days ago
(http://dc.bilerico.com)
Perversely, the ban has only served to perpetuate this stigma for 22 years, long after the science has shown that HIV is not a threat to the public's health and would not substantially burden our healthcare system. However, the new HHS rule finally puts these unfounded concerns to rest, removing previous barriers to to treatment and prevention:...Be sure to see Steve Ralls' excellent Bilerico post on lifting the ban, which includes a video on the topic by Immigration Equality.
Despite knowing this obvious fact for decades, the United States remained one of only twelve countries to have long-enforced such a strict, unscientific and ineffective policy, undermining its position as a global leader in combating HIV/AIDS. In supporting such a discriminatory and antiquated restriction, the United States has placed itself among the ranks of other bastions of civil liberty - includi
Despite knowing this obvious fact for decades, the United States remained one of only twelve countries to have long-enforced such a strict, unscientific and ineffective policy, undermining its position as a global leader in combating HIV/AIDS. In supporting such a discriminatory and antiquated restriction, the United States has placed itself among the ranks of other bastions of civil liberty - includi
HIV ban will be lifted quite soon (for real)
Posted by
ATLdave 1056 days ago
(http://bigqueer.com)
Today, the Department of Human and Health Services (HHS) finally published its proposed regulations to lift the HIV travel and immigration ban in the Federal Register for a 45-day period of public comment.
It has certainly taken a long time and a lot of lobbying effort to reach this monumental point: when the HHS finally published its proposed regulations, before issuing the final regulations -- the day when all HIV-infected individuals will not be discriminated against from entering the country. Please respond to the HHS with your supportive comments.
It has certainly taken a long time and a lot of lobbying effort to reach this monumental point: when the HHS finally published its proposed regulations, before issuing the final regulations -- the day when all HIV-infected individuals will not be discriminated against from entering the country. Please respond to the HHS with your supportive comments.
(Watch) Full Video of Obama White House LGBT Pride Celebration
Posted by
ATLdave 1059 days ago
(http://www.towleroad.com)
I told him of a conversation I had just had: 'So I said, 'Will you support the Uniting American Families Act — Jerry Nadler's bill?' He said...
Bono Mack May Face Her Electoral Doom
Posted by
ATLdave 1061 days ago
(http://inlandutopia.com)
Bono-Mack does recognize she will have a tough general election, but there are better ways for her to differentiate her self from a traditional Republican than draining working families and increasing their energy costs and hurting the prosperity of the American people. For example Palm Springs region has the 2nd most population of gay Californians in our state and she could of co-sponsored the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in HR 1283, co-sponsored the Uniting American Families Act HR 1024 and co-sponsoring the Employment Non-Discrimination Act HR 2981 instead of killing off the fiscal vitality of our nation.
New Beginning Initiative Launches
Posted by
ATLdave 1061 days ago
(http://www.thetaskforce.org)
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and a collaboration of expert organizations today announced the New Beginning Initiative, designed to push for concrete federal administration policy and regulatory changes directly benefiting the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and eliminating discrimination from federal policies.
The initiative, which is an outcome of the National Policy Roundtable with organizations opting into the initiative, began more than a year ago in preparation of a more LGBT-favorable administration. The more than 80 initial policies identified and recommended for changes span the authority of the White House and more than 30 federal agencies. The recommendations focus on
The initiative, which is an outcome of the National Policy Roundtable with organizations opting into the initiative, began more than a year ago in preparation of a more LGBT-favorable administration. The more than 80 initial policies identified and recommended for changes span the authority of the White House and more than 30 federal agencies. The recommendations focus on
America supports passage of the Uniting American Families Act
Posted by
ATLdave 1062 days ago
(http://www.care2.com)
By signing the letter today, you bring us one step closer to equal immigration rights, so citizens can sponsor their same-sex partners for immigration purposes. Your support of this legislation is vital if America's immigration policies are going to reflect our fundamental commitment to family values and equality for all. No more separation. No more deportation. No more fear!
Dutch-American Couples Take Center Stage in New York
Posted by
ATLdave 1062 days ago
(http://immigrationequality.org)
Immigration Equality is excited to congratulate them. We know they will have a great future ahead of them in the Netherlands, but at the same...
John Kerry accepting his 2009 Safe Haven Award (VIDEO)
Posted by
ATLdave 1062 days ago
(http://youtube.com)
Author: gcbstyle. Keywords: HIV John Kerry Kerry Safe Haven Awards Immigration Equality. Added: June 25, 2009...
10 Questions for Blabbeando
Posted by
ATLdave 1066 days ago
(http://miapogeo.com)
5. You're a leader in the Latino LGBT community. What do you think is the single most important issue that affect gay and lesbian Latinos in the US?
Two issues: The economic downturn as well as immigration reform. They might not be seen as 'gay' issues, per se, but, as part of the larger Latino community, they impact LGBT Latinos as much as the rest.
Two issues: The economic downturn as well as immigration reform. They might not be seen as 'gay' issues, per se, but, as part of the larger Latino community, they impact LGBT Latinos as much as the rest.
Catholic Bishops urge immigration reform for everyone except Gays
Posted by
ATLdave 1067 days ago
(http://www.topix.com)
One of the most vocal supporters of immigration reform has been the Catholic Church .
But earlier this month several Catholic Bishops said they will not support any immigration bill that includes protections for gay and lesbian couples… and Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City, the chairman of the Catholic bishops’ Committee on Migration, wrote to Congress that the Uniting American Families Act designed to eliminate discrimination in immigration law against gay and lesbian couples, would “erode the institution of marriage and family,” by taking a position that is “contrary to the very nature of marriage which pre-dates the Church and the State” if passed….
But yesterday at the spring meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in San Antonio, Texas, the Archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Francis George, the President of the United States Conference of Catholi
But earlier this month several Catholic Bishops said they will not support any immigration bill that includes protections for gay and lesbian couples… and Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City, the chairman of the Catholic bishops’ Committee on Migration, wrote to Congress that the Uniting American Families Act designed to eliminate discrimination in immigration law against gay and lesbian couples, would “erode the institution of marriage and family,” by taking a position that is “contrary to the very nature of marriage which pre-dates the Church and the State” if passed….
But yesterday at the spring meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in San Antonio, Texas, the Archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Francis George, the President of the United States Conference of Catholi
What Michelangelo Signorile said about UAFA
Posted by
ATLdave 1067 days ago
(http://www.signorile.com)
To Michelangelo Signorile: I’ve been a Sirus listener for about 3 years now. I’ve learned a lot listening, you may say I’ve one of your converts, but maybe not. Now here’s something you did last week that really pissed me off.You brought up the Senate hearing on the Uniting American Families Act. Your comment was that it wasn’t as important as the other issues.You trivializing the issue is a slap in the face to those of us who have been working for years to get this bill passed ...
Ex Mayor Becomes Example Of Gay Partners Immigration Dilemma
Posted by
ATLdave 1067 days ago
(http://garibaldigay.blogspot.com)
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 he was supposed to be sworn in for a fourth term caused jaws to drop, but it also became a high-profile example of the thousands of Americans who face a similar choice - separate or move abroad - because they can't secure green cards for their partners like ...
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 he was supposed to be sworn in for a fourth term caused jaws to drop, but it also became a high-profile example of the thousands of Americans who face a similar choice - separate or move abroad - because they can't secure green cards for their partners like ...
How Exactly Should The Government Go About Discouraging Homosexuality?
Posted by
ATLdave 1070 days ago
(http://www.rightwingwatch.org)
For the most part, the spokespeople for the Family Research Council manage to advocate their right-wing anti-gay agenda in manner seemingly designed to avoid controversy and appear moderate and fair-minded.
That is not to say that its agenda isn't misguided and offensive - it is - but simply to note that, by and large, people from FRC tend not to say particularly radical things that expose the hostility toward gays that underlies much of their work.
Ignoring the obvious hypocrisy of the fact that Sprigg doesn't think people should get special rights for "choosing" to be gay while they do deserve special rights for choosing to be ... say, Christian, I'm curious to know just what Sprigg thinks that the government should be doing in order to "discourage" homosexuality?
Tax it? Oppress it? Make it a criminal offense?
That is not to say that its agenda isn't misguided and offensive - it is - but simply to note that, by and large, people from FRC tend not to say particularly radical things that expose the hostility toward gays that underlies much of their work.
Ignoring the obvious hypocrisy of the fact that Sprigg doesn't think people should get special rights for "choosing" to be gay while they do deserve special rights for choosing to be ... say, Christian, I'm curious to know just what Sprigg thinks that the government should be doing in order to "discourage" homosexuality?
Tax it? Oppress it? Make it a criminal offense?
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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.