As many of you have reported, not all is quite working as advertised on our new Action Fund site. I want to offer my apologies as we work with our vendor to isolate and fix the problems you are reporting: from comments on blog posts to sharing your stories with us.

Please do not hesitate to contact me whenever you have problems with our either the Immigration Equality website or the Immigration Equality Action Fund site.

You may use the contact us page or email me directly.

Why are you still here?

In recent weeks, we’ve launched the Immigration Equality Action Fund’s new website, which includes all of our latest policy news and updates . . . as well as our new “Voices for Equality” blog.

Beginning today, our political and advocacy updates will only be posted on the Action Fund blog. So, to continue the conversation about our work in Washington, click here, then bookmark “Voices for Equality” on your browser.

This blog will continue to highlight our legal aid work . . . asylum and detention news . . . and other non-policy work. But to stay connected with your fellow advocates on issues related to the Uniting American Families Act and immigration reform in general, surf over to “Voices for Equality.”

And, while you’re on our new site, check out all of our new features, including a new way to Share Your Story, as well as updated tools to take action for our families.

So what are you waiting for? And why are you still here? Click now, and visit our new policy-related blog.

In the midst of the BP oil spill, the fight for financial reform and other legislative issues, many of you have been wondering: What happens with immigration reform – and the Uniting American Families Act – now?

In the days immediately following Arizona’s passage of its anti-immigrant law, Congress and the White House turned its attention to comprehensive reform . . . and LGBT families, for the first time ever, were included in the framework for that reform. That success moved us immeasurably forward in our efforts to end discrimination against LGBT binational families. In fact, it is not an understatement to say that it was a game-changer. For the first time ever, our seat at the table was undisputed, and our inclusion in a bill was expected.

Then, oil started gushing in the gulf, and Washington’s famously short attention span seemed to turn to other matters.

That, however, is not the end of the story.

Last week, Senator Schumer told immigration reform supporters in New York that he still believes comprehensive reform can be tackled in this Congress. If not, Schumer said, he remained confident that a bill could be passed no later than March 2011.

We know, however, that for families who are separated, every day can seem like an eternity. That’s why none of us at Immigration Equality have ever taken passage of a particular bill for granted. And its why we have always pursued every possible avenue for success, and will continue to do so.

All of us remain committed to including LGBT families in comprehensive reform, and as long as our champions in Congress are standing strong in their pledge to introduce and pass a bill, we will stand with them. But we will continue to build support for the Uniting American Families Act as well, because both campaigns help each other. Should comprehensive reform move, it is critical that we have the co-sponsors, and supporters, to show the breadth and depth of support for our families . . . and to make their inclusion in the comprehensive bill a priority. At the same, building those supporters is also critical for ensuring that, should Congress decide in the future to tackle stand-alone bills, we can demonstrate the momentum and support to make the UAFA a priority for lawmakers.

That two pronged strategy ensures that, whatever the political landscape is moving forward, we have built the case for moving legislation that ends discrimination against our families. Our commitment remains to be ready to take advantage of every possible avenue for success.

The coming weeks and months will no doubt bring more changes to Capitol Hill. The Immigration Equality team has a plan in place, however, to continue our fight for victory throughout those changes, and take advantage of the opportunities that are presented by each scenario. We can – and will – push for a legislative win in every possible way, whether through the UAFA or its inclusion in comprehensive reform. The stakes are too high to leave any stone unturned.

As part of the introduction of your new home for LGBT immigration direct action, Immigration Equality Action Fund, I’d like to introduce you to our Voices for Equality blog.

You’ll notices the focus on the plural. Over the coming months as we continue to build momentum within the LGBT community for comprehensive immigration reform, we will be introducing the thoughts and words of people both inside and outside of the Action Fund. For the first time ever, the LGBT community is represented in the immigration reform framework and with that excellent news comes the responsibility of showing that our communities are an essential component of the diverse immigration coalition.

The new Voices for Equality blog will continue to do just that with insightful views on policy, profiles of our binational and activist community, and opportunities for direct action.

So point your feed readers and your bookmarks to our new blog, but keep your eye on this blog as well. The Immigration Equality site and our blog here will continue to provide important and timely legal information while adding more news about our invaluable asylum and legal work.

More than 20 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality groups and allies today issued the following joint statement:

Arizona’s S.B. 1070 takes the state down a path that will lead to racial profiling, discrimination and anti-immigrant extremism. We stand in solidarity with other individuals, organizations and local governments in rejecting the misrepresentation of immigrants put forth in this unjust and ill-conceived measure.

S.B. 1070 essentially declares an entire class of people to be inherently criminal on the basis of their race and appearance. The consequences of S.B. 1070 are grave and troubling: the inevitability of racial profiling and infringement of civil liberties; the strong probability of violence and harassment against individuals and their families; and the reversal of progress toward creating a more inclusive society.

We also note that this bill was signed into law by Gov. Jan Brewer, the same governor who last year stripped away earned health insurance benefits from the same-sex domestic partners of state employees. Brewer’s actions as governor demonstrate, at best, callous indifference — and at worst, willful malice — toward immigrants and LGBT people alike.

All Arizona families — lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight — have reason to be alarmed. The state’s new law threatens to tear apart families, separate children from their parents and rip apart loving couples who are building their lives together. The LGBT community knows all too well how easily people who “look different” or “act different” can be singled out for harassment and persecution. LGBT immigrants will be doubly vulnerable under this law, which gives license to discriminate.

We are united in our determination to stand for political and legislative change that will ensure just treatment of immigrants, people of color, and all people in Arizona. Such justice requires the repeal of S.B. 1070 and the passage and implementation of comprehensive federal immigration reform.

Today we join with groups such as Service Employees International Union, League of United Latin American Citizens, Asian American Justice Center, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, National Council of La Raza, National Action Network, the National Puerto Rican Coalition, and many others in the boycott against the state of Arizona until S.B. 1070 is repealed, overturned by the courts, or superseded by comprehensive federal immigration reform.

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund
Human Rights Campaign
GLAAD
Immigration Equality
National Black Justice Coalition
National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates
International Foundation for Gender Education
Family Equality Council
Two Spirit Press Room
Equality Federation
National Minority AIDS Council
National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce®
Freedom to Marry
Gay Men’s Health Crisis
Lambda Legal
BiNet USA
International Federation of Black Prides, Inc.
Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals
UNID@S
SAGE
Atticus Circle
National Center for Lesbian Rights

We’re less than a few nights away from Immigration Equality’s annual Safe Haven Awards, featuring best-selling author Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love and Committed) and Gregory C. Simon, Senior V.P. of Worldwide Policy for Pfizer.

There’s still time to buy your tickets online, and join us as we celebrate our allies and toast pro bono partners who have made a life-saving difference in the lives of LGBT and HIV-positive immigrants and their families.

If you haven’t already done so, reserve your tickets today and plan to join us on Tuesday, June 8th at the AXA Equitable Center on 7th Avenue in New York City. The evening kicks off with a welcome reception at 6:30, followed by our awards ceremony — and Elizabeth Gilbert’s keynote address — at 7:30pm.

If you bought multiple tickets, your guest list can be emailed to Win by this Friday, June 4th.

In addition to a wonderful evening of inspiring stories from our allies, you’ll also have an opportunity to bid on unique auction items that directly support our work to end discrimination against LGBT immigrant families. This year’s one-of-a-kind auction items include:

• An opportunity to underwrite the Immigration Equality Action Fund’s new online advocacy center (Opening Bid: $1,500)
• A bow tie and style consultation from the dapper shopkeepers of FineandDandyShop.com, a binational couple-owned design shop (Opening Bid: $500)
• Underwriting a one-hour, detailed intake for a prospective asylum seeker who has turned to Immigration Equality for help ($95 per intake sponsorship)

Every winning bid – and every ticket sold – will be directed to the Immigration Equality Action Fund and put to immediate use in support of our work to end discrimination against LGBT and HIV-positive immigrants and their families.

Have you ‘committed’ to joining the fight? To get started, click here and reserve your tickets (for pick up at the door) now. We all look forward to welcoming you on Tuesday night.

Each June, our community comes together to remember (and celebrate) those who have fought for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. Pride month marks our long struggle for equality.



This year, Immigration Equality supporters will march in pride parades in Washington, DC, New York City, and Los Angeles. Together, we are building support for immigration reform that helps all families, including LGBT families, too.



Please join us on June 12 in Washington … June 13 in Los Angeles … and June 27 in New York City. RSVP on Facebook or email me directly if you have questions about participating in DC or NYC. If you’re in LA, Charlie Gu is our contingent coordinator and would love to have your help. Please email him with questions regarding our presence there.



Join us this Pride season as our families tell congress to pass LGBT-inclusive immigration reform.