Thursday, March 5, 2009

A Glimmer of Hope


From the Metro Star, an Oklahoma GLBT publication:

A bill to extend spousal immigration rights to same-sex couples was introduced in congress Feb. 12.

The Uniting American Families Act, sponsored by Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., and Senator Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., aims to end the problem of binational same-sex couples being forcibly separated -- or forced to relocate outside the U.S. together -- because the U.S. government does not recognize the validity of same-sex unions.

"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," Nadler said. "It is time that we as a society finally acknowledge that a committed, loving family is a committed, loving family."

"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," added Immigration Equality Executive Director Rachel Tiven. "These couples simply want the same opportunity to prove that their families deserve to stay together."

Some 36,000 couples are thought to be affected by the discriminatory policy, according to the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.

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