60 Members of Congress Call for LGBT-Inclusive Immigration Reform
Sixty Members of Congress, led by Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), have issued a letter calling on President Obama and Congressional leaders to pass legislation which would end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) immigrant families. The statement, which comes from members of the LGBT Equality Caucus, urges passage of the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) and for inclusion of “LGBT binational families in comprehensive immigration reform.” Under current immigration law, lesbian and gay Americans are unable to sponsor their partners for residency in the United States, resulting in many such families living separately, or facing imminent separation, from their loved ones.
“No one,” the letter insists, “should be forced to choose between the person they love and the country they call home. It is time that our immigration laws kept families together instead of tearing them apart.”
“Passage of immigration reform will require every family standing with their neighbors and loved ones to work for change,” said Rachel B. Tiven, Executive Director of Immigration Equality, a national organization that works to end discrimination in U.S. immigration law. “The LGBT Equality Caucus’s letter signals that our champions in Congress, and the LGBT community, are ready to work for passage of reform that includes all families, including LGBT families. There are more than 36,000 lesbian and gay binational families counting on us to get this work done. “
The letter – spearheaded by Congresswoman Baldwin and Representatives Barney Frank (D-MA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Jared Polis (D-CO), Mike Honda (D-CA) and Mike Quigley (D-IL) – comes as Congress is expected to turn its attention to comprehensive immigration reform legislation in the near future. According to an analysis of U.S. census data, more than 36,000 lesbian and gay binational couples would benefit from an LGBT-inclusive immigration reform bill. Nearly half of those families, data show, are raising young children who face the possibility of being separated from one of their parents.
“Recognizing how important familes have been to our national development, the central mission of our immigration system has always been to reunify families.,” said Thomas Saenz, president of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF). “In order to be true to that core value, comprehensive immigration reform must fix our system to include LGBT families. Failure to do so would leave us with a flawed system that continues to tear apart families, contrary to our legal and constitutional traditions.”
Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the lead House sponsor of the Uniting American Families Act, which would also end discrimination against LGBT binational families, agreed.
“We must take the government out of the business of singling out LGBT families for discriminatory treatment and live up to our democratic ideal of equality under the law,” Nadler said. “I join my colleagues in calling on Congress and the White House to include the Uniting American Families Act, which I have introduced in every Congress since 2000, in any immigration reform legislation, and end discrimination against binational LGBT families.”
“There is simply no place for discrimination in America,” Congresswoman Baldwin added. “As we tackle comprehensive immigration reform, it’s imperative that we end discriminatory laws that hurt couples, their children and extended families, and their communities and employers.”
Immigration Equality has also significantly increased its legislative work on the issue, recently announcing the formation of a 501(c)4 Action Fund, to significant increase its lobbying work, and an expanded Washington, D.C. office.
“This is the moment,” Tiven said. “Introduction of comprehensive immigration reform legislation provides a unique opportunity to win a critical victory for LGBT families, and all families. We will work, non-stop, with our allies in the LGBT Equality Caucus, and the immigration rights movement, to do just that.”
Where can we see a copy of the letter and/or the list of the 60 congressfolk, such that we can either write thank-you messages or write letters suggesting they take a more active interest?
Comment by spatula — February 8, 2010 @ 9:11 pm
It would be so nice to have LGBT families included in immigration reform or even a special visa category as Melanie Nathan suggests. I just hope it will happen in 2010. We have all waited long enough! Let’s end the heartache and pain TODAY!
http://immigration.change.org/actions/view/special_visa_for_binational_lgbt_spouse-perma-partners
Comment by James Ashburn — February 8, 2010 @ 9:15 pm
Awesome news!!! Maybe this is the push we need to get included in CIR. Does this mean they may bring UAFA out of Committee?
Comment by Sandy — February 8, 2010 @ 9:29 pm
Yay! Lets keep the ball rolling. Hopefully change will come soon.
Comment by Alex — February 8, 2010 @ 9:54 pm
The absence of a legal means for bi-national GLBT couples to stay together in the US has lead to untold heartbreak for these people. This law, the UAFA, seeks to address this injustice by avoiding the necessity for recognition of gay marriage. (Surprisingly, those who oppose gay marriage claiming that civil unions and domestic partnerships are sufficient also oppose the UAFA, showing how insincere they really are.)
To President Obama and Congress, if ever there was an issue whose demands for justice, civil rights and equality are blazingly clear, and where compassion should drive a speedy redress, this is it. Please don’t allow the personal and family tragedies caused by this this legal nightmare linger on, un-addressed.
Comment by David — February 9, 2010 @ 1:28 am
I supposed it is good news. Great, maybe there is a little hope still.
Comment by Chung Fang — February 9, 2010 @ 1:43 am
This is great news! Thanks IE for all the hard work. Is there any way we can find out the complete list of all 60 members who signed the letter so we can express our gratitude and support? Hope this will finally get some bill, any inclusive bill, passed this year. My partner and I anxiously await…
Comment by cw — February 9, 2010 @ 1:48 am
This is such an encouraging news to us. Thanks for bringing us hope. Thanks for all the people working very hard for us.
Comment by Alex — February 9, 2010 @ 7:10 am
Thank you for all your work, guys. I’m spamming all my friends with both this link and another link to the Change.org campaign. It’s always great to get any breath of welcome news when so much right now seems to be an anti-LGBTQ backlash.
Comment by Kai — February 9, 2010 @ 9:29 am
We will post the list soon. I am stuck between 2 snowstorms but will post it when I can get to a computer.
Comment by Julie kruse — February 9, 2010 @ 9:37 am
Comment by Kai — February 9, 2010 @ 9:53 am
Thank you all! And thank you Julie, look forward to the list! This can’t happen soon enough… I’ve been living on hope for so long its been very hard living without my partner…
Comment by bkbzipper — February 9, 2010 @ 10:22 am
Thank you IE for this important work. Thousands of us are suffering in silence and exile around the world and in the US (afraid of losing the right to live in the US if we get laid off), so this means a lot. thank you and please please keep up the legislative work in DC. Julie, you are my hero.
Comment by Tommy — February 9, 2010 @ 10:53 am
Immigration Equality deserves a serious “Hat’s Off” and Congratulations on this! Getting this many members of Congress to sign on to a letter is no easy task by any means, and must have taken a lot of hard work, time and persistence. THANK YOU JULIE & STEVE!!!!
Comment by Tom T. — February 9, 2010 @ 1:29 pm
Nice…but, 233 Democrats and only 60 signed onto the letter? We still have a lot of work to do.
Comment by Shawn — February 9, 2010 @ 2:22 pm
….”WOW”..Im shocked and speechless all at the same time!….I always thought/knew ….it’s gonna happen blah blah blah..but WOW this is a surprise!
-OK…. SO FIRST A HUGE “THANK YOU” to I.E. FOR THEIR WORK!
- and I also second, the comment let us know where etc we can get the names of the senator etc
I also want to follow up again and call to fax a “THANK YOU” to them.to let them know and see we the people are watching focused on this!..
Comment by Derek — February 9, 2010 @ 2:28 pm
Cheers IE!!!
Comment by Sue — February 9, 2010 @ 2:46 pm
I just called Sen. Chuck Schumer’s office and asked about rumors that have been flying on the gay immigration blogs in the last couple of weeks that we were being left out of his CIR bill. They said that UAFA components, or gay & lesbian inclusion in CIR is a definite must and that Sen Schumer is committed. Right. I asked if so, then why the 60 member Congressional letter led by Tammy Baldwin to urge Cong. & Executive branch action – if we were already included in CIR then you wouldn’t need a letter urging action. Their office was unaware of the letter and didn’t have a response to the seeming discrepancy. They said essentially that this week is a bust because of the snowstorms and to give them time to figure it out. Also, asked about a timeline for introduction on CIR since Feb 1 has come and gone – March or April… they just don’t know = we’ll see how much pressure is brought to bear on us in the polls and whether we can do nothing and still retain our majorities.
Anyway, they noted my support for gay bi-national couples for visas and legal permanent residency and promised to pass it along to the Senator.
The 111th Congress comes to an end next Jan 2011. It’s feeling like we are going to be frozen out once again if we pin the bulk of our hope on CIR. If one Scott Brown could send the Dems into such a disarray, then this fall’s sausage making is really going to be ugly. At this rate, it’ll be DADT for 2010 and waiting on a repeal of DOMA or gay marriage passage at the Federal level before we see anything approaching sponsorship of partners to keep our families including our children together. DADT repeal will be a help because of partner benefits at the Federal level – but, the pace is glacial.
Comment by GreenCardsforGays — February 9, 2010 @ 3:59 pm
what is really going on? maybe Melanie Nathan is right and this means for UAFA should be staon its own not in reform- and why did it not happen sooner? Is this in response to the news that Schommer is not going to include Gays http://lezgetreal.com/?p=26232
Comment by H. Cole — February 9, 2010 @ 4:52 pm
I am in the U.S. for now but will be returning to Taiwan to be with my Taiwanese partner until things have changed. I’m doing ALL I can do to support this movement and I commend the representatives who drafted and sign on to this letter. More emails to send to lawmakers and supportive friends to keep the momentum going. I am as hopeful as anyone on this page. THank you!!
Comment by Dan Weddle — February 9, 2010 @ 6:01 pm
Thank you IE! Keep up the good work
Comment by T — February 9, 2010 @ 6:37 pm
Thank you Thank You Thank you
Comment by Daniel — February 10, 2010 @ 8:40 am
No one ever counted me, but I am an American living abroad permanently in Japan because I cannot return to the United States with my Japanese partner. For years we have had the dream in the back of our minds and hearts that someday we might be able to return to the United States. Every other Westernized country offers this and the sky hasn’t fallen in. I have a blog here on life in Japan. If you are interested, please read it. Thank you.
http://www.ameblo.jp/gregirwin-blog/
Comment by Greg Irwin — February 10, 2010 @ 8:55 am
What happened to the 22 members of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus that didn’t sign the letter? Are they opposed to it?
Comment by Lavi Soloway — February 11, 2010 @ 4:40 am
It’s nice to finally see some movement on this. Tammy B.- I spoke to you 8 1/2 years ago at a fund raiser while I was still living in Madison, WI. at Christy B’s house. Since that time, I have been living in Germany and most recently in the UK with my German partner. I’m very happy to see this progressing. I still have hopes to move back to Madison … sooner rather than later. I’m not getting any younger! Thanks for your efforts!
Comment by Peggy originally from Madison WI USA — February 13, 2010 @ 6:22 am
Barney Frank signed thıs letter. Give me a break! Where has he been. When will exiles be coming home. I am not holding my breath. What is so hard about giving Americans the rights they already should have.
Comment by Connie Yildirim — February 13, 2010 @ 9:15 am
My husband lives in Toronto and I live in New York – it really doesn’t make any common sense to have two residents (paying double for everything) when 19 other countries allow lesbian and gay citizens to sponsor their foreign partners. Thank you, Joe
Comment by Joe McCagherty — February 15, 2010 @ 2:31 pm
I feel helpless . I feel like there is something I should be dong instead of just sitting and waiting in hopes that it will change. Maybe all of us should send pictures and letters of our families??? Sometimes it would be harder to say no if they realize we are much more than numbers or words. We are really here!! If anyone has anyway I could help let me know;-)
Comment by Danny — February 16, 2010 @ 1:17 pm
i just got back from vancouver bc after spending the past month with him while he had his refugee hearing,after he had to leave the US. for 2+ years we’ve been waiting for some good news.the one good thing that has happened is that we LEGALLY got married.I would hate to leave my friend and family just to be with him, but if i must!at least i’ll have healthcare HEHE
Comment by roi whaley — February 18, 2010 @ 9:12 pm
I am also a geographically displaced gay partner. But this note is about saying THANKS to the Immigration Equality staff who continue to work hard for all of us. Without you, our voice would not be heard. Thank you for all you do. One day too, this will pass. Blessings to all of you. Rachel, please keep up the fight !!
Comment by Patrick — February 20, 2010 @ 8:31 pm
on behalf of myself and Carlos, my “permanant partner” thank you, to all that are working so hard to pass this threw. i having been going back and forth from the dominican republic for quite sometime now. the only alternative i have is to move there, as of now.please let this pass before that i go. its a under-developed country and not a great life style for gay americans. but i will do what i have to. at least the government here that cant treat me fairly, wont get my tax money anymore.
Comment by john a llewellyn — March 4, 2010 @ 1:45 pm
Thanks IE to your tireless work. There are many of us waiting with baited breath. My partner and I live in Australia as she cannot get a visa back home. We both cannot wait for a time to return to the states and be closer to my family.
Comment by Cindy — March 9, 2010 @ 9:03 pm
I understand that there is a magnificent group called Love Exiles which tracks the issue of gay Americans who marry in countries that permit homosexuals to do so (such as Spain, where I live)but then can not request citizenship status for their partner. Does anyone know how to contact them? Are they involved with Dems Abroad? Gracias and Happy Easter.
Comment by Garrison McDavid — March 26, 2010 @ 2:01 pm