On Valentine’s Day, Binational Gay and Lesbian Couples Struggle to Stay Together

HE MAY LOVE YOU, BUT OUR CURRENT IMMIGRATION POLICY LOVES HIM NOT:  HRC and Immigration Equality, a national group aimed at ending LGBT discrimination in immigration law, lauded today’s introduction of the Uniting American Families Act. 

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), will provide lesbian and gay Americans the same opportunity as different-sex couples to sponsor their partner for immigration purposes. 

Under U.S. immigration law, U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents may sponsor their spouses for immigration purposes.  But gay and lesbian Americans are not afforded this basic right.  This inequality affects more than 36,000 gay and lesbian Americans, according to the 2000 Census and research commissioned by Immigration Equality and conducted by Gary Gates of the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.

During a media conference call this afternoon, Rep. Nadler joined HRC President Joe Solmonese, Immigration Equality Executive Director Rachel B. Tiven, and Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund Legislative Staff Attorney John Amaya to discuss the importance of this legislation.  Two binational couples who face the prospect of being forcibly separated under existing immigration laws also took part in the call.

Statement from Rep. Nadler:

It should be an outrage to all Americans that our government continues to deny one set of citizens the fundamental rights enjoyed by the rest of its citizens.  It is time that we as a society finally acknowledge that a committed, loving family is a committed, loving family, no matter whether a couple is gay or straight.  It makes no difference.  We should be encouraging and rewarding stable families rather than sweeping them into the margins.  We must now pass UAFA, the Uniting American Families Act, and grant gay and lesbian binational families the same legal protections—and the same human dignity—as other Americans.

Statement from Sen. Leahy:

Like many people across the country, there are Vermonters whose partners are foreign nationals and who feel abandoned by our laws in this area.  The promotion of family unity has long been part of federal immigration policy, and we should honor that principle by providing all Americans the opportunity to be with their loved ones.  I hope all Senators will join me in supporting equality for all Americans and their loved ones.

Statement from Joe Solmonese:

For far too long, our elected officials have ignored the devastating real-life consequences that current immigration policies have had on thousands of gay and lesbian couples in loving, committed relationships,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.  We thank Representative Nadler and Senator Leahy for their leadership to ensure that these couples are treated equally under the law. We commend Immigration Equality for their continued leadership in fighting this unjust policy.

Statement from Rachel Tiven of Immigration Equality:     

This Valentine’s Day, thousands of gay and lesbian Americans who have fallen in love across borders must grapple with an impossible choice between being with the person they love and staying in their country.  These couples simply want the same opportunity to prove that their families deserve to stay together.

Audio of the call will be posted here tomorrow and at www.immigrationequality.org/blog/.