At Pam’s House Blend: The Moment to be Heard – and Included – Is Here
Just a few weeks ago, the likelihood of Congress and the White House tackling comprehensive immigration reform seemed to be in question. Following the defeat of a Democratic candidate in the Massachusetts Senate election, and growing doubts about a successful healthcare reform effort in both chambers, the prospects for a truly comprehensive reform effort that would fix our country’s broken immigration system was called into question by many.
Now, however, there is renewed energy and focus on the issue. And that, in turn, must be a wake-up call, and a rallying cry, for the LGBT community, too.
Yesterday, both the Los Angeles Times and Associated Press reported that President Obama had called two key lawmakers – Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) – to the White House to discuss moving immigration reform forward. The Times also noted that Obama has begun conversations with Administration staff about the best path forward for the legislation, which Obama pledged during his campaign would be a major piece of his first-term agenda.
“Obama took up the issue privately with his staff Monday,” the Times reported, “in a bid to advance a bill through Congress before lawmakers become too distracted by approaching midterm elections.”
A White House spokesperson characterized the President’s commitment to the issue as “unwavering.”
That’s good news, but behind the optimism are serious questions to be answered about who reform will help, what it will contain and how it can pass what seems to be a deeply divided Congress. And within each of those questions are a myriad of issues related to the LGBT movement, too.
There is no question, of course, that almost any reform will help some LGBT people. A path to citizenship, for example, will surely be welcome news for undocumented LGBT people. And inclusion of the DREAM Act, a critically important bill for young people, is also necessary for youth of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Both components are critical, and much needed, for countless immigrants and their families.
It is also essential, however, that comprehensive reform include the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), a measure which would end discrimination against LGBT binational families and, at long last, afford lesbian and gay Americans the same opportunity to sponsor their significant others for residency in the United States. More than 36,000 such couples are facing separation, or already living separately or abroad, because of discriminatory policies which UAFA would fix. Nearly half of those couples – 47% – are also raising young children.
In order to fully realize a reform bill that addresses every issue of importance to our community, however, the LGBT community must unite, mobilize and take action, too.
Please please write to both Senator Schumer and Senator Graham and tell them that it is not comprehensive if LGBT families are left out..they are putting together the blueprint of the reform bill as we speak right now and this is the time to let them hear from us. Please do it. Thanks!
http://schumer.senate.gov/new_website/contact.cfm
http://lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.EmailSenatorGraham
Comment by Simon M — March 7, 2010 @ 12:21 pm
DONE! One letter to Sen Schumer from this NY State constituent and one letter to Sen Graham as a US citizen. Thanks for organizing this email campaign. Lets JUST DO IT..NOW!!!
Comment by Joe — March 8, 2010 @ 6:55 am
me too ! sent…. although Sen Graham sent an auto-response that he does not reply to out of state emails…. still worth sending i think !
Comment by steve z — March 8, 2010 @ 9:48 am
Please also be sure to sign this week’s petition through change.org:
http://tinyurl.com/UAFA-week53
AND share this link with all of your family and friends and on FB/Twitter:
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/pass_lgbt-inclusive_immigration_reform
We need to win this thing and we need a lot more votes to make this happen!
Comment by Tom T. — March 8, 2010 @ 5:29 pm
Undocumented LGBT families will benefit greatly from the Gutierrez Bill if it were to pass as it is now. Please stop defining LGBT families only as couples who are partnered with U.S. citizens. I support UAFA, but it isn’t right to deny the existence of the at least 10% of the 12 million undocumented immigrants who are lgbt who are already included in this bill.
Comment by cindy — March 8, 2010 @ 8:51 pm
@#3 Steve Z: yes, did it look like this?: “Due to the large volume of mail I receive, I regret that I am only able to respond personally to inquiries from South Carolinians.”
Sounds like he won’t bother to respond, but we have a good chance of getting the message filtered through upwards to his attention via his staff. Especially if he gets a barrage of emails from IE supporters. So, keep emailing guys/folks!!
Comment by Joe — March 9, 2010 @ 6:24 am
Has anyone else noticed taht there are 2 petitions for the same cause that made it to the second round of the competition? The
Immigration Equality – Uniting American Families Act – Binational Gay Couples (under Gay Rights)
and Pass LGBT-Inclusive Immigration Reform (under Immigration) are competing against eachother. My worry is that the votes are being split between 2 petitions which are for the same exact cause, which isn’t giving it a fair chance – it’s actually not doing as badly as you’d think if you add the votes together. I’ve written to change.org but had no response yet.
Comment by Jenny D — March 9, 2010 @ 9:08 am
#6 that is the same response i got..
#7 i noticed that too and voted for both….
Comment by steve z — March 9, 2010 @ 11:10 am
…I Sent and Faxed letters also!……to BOTH!
and too…..”cindy” ..YES ALL should be treated the SAME/Fairly..with the comprehensive immigration reform….FOR FAR TOOOOOOOO LONG
people have been treated and looked at like a “box of chocolates”.lets pic this one today!…….
Comment by derek — March 9, 2010 @ 2:45 pm
Cindy: I’ll be very frustrated if people who broke the law and are here “undocumented” get priority over people like myself who have been dealing with a binational relationship for almost 7 years, traveling back and forth, trying to do everything legal. We could’ve had him come across the border without papers, but we’ve been waiting for the legal way to do it.
Comment by mark — March 9, 2010 @ 8:43 pm
@7Jenny: Awesome observation. How do we effectively petition a consolidation?
Comment by Joe — March 10, 2010 @ 4:49 am
To Cindy, not everybody can do it the “legal way” and travel back and forth . We all have the same problems but some of us are more fortunate and have the possibility to travel back and forth, some of us just can’t financially and have to break the law. But you can’t blame them for doing so, it is not a choice most of the time. I wish I had the possibility to go back and forth to my home country to see my relatives. You should feel lucky you had that chance. I’vebeen away from home for 6 years
Comment by anonymous — March 10, 2010 @ 8:55 am
I don’t know, but looking back at it, there’s a third one in the running that I didn’t count earlier: Immigration Equality – Uniting American Families Act – Binational Gay Couples (under gay rights). Very frustrating. I’ve tried emailing change.org twice now . . .
Comment by Jenny D — March 10, 2010 @ 12:33 pm
Oops. I was referring to the National Recognition of Same Sex Marriage . . . which is a totally different kettle of fish – too bad it’s not National Recognition of Same Sex couples!
Comment by Jenny D — March 10, 2010 @ 12:45 pm
I got a very quick response from Michael Jones (the writer who covers GLBT issues) at Change.org. He has shared my concern with the CEO, and other staff, and said in the future, they will be more aware of this, although not sure they can do anything this year, due to the rules of the competition. However, he did say that he is looking for more ways to highlight the issue of GLBT immigration on the website in the coming weeks, which is positive!!!
Comment by Jenny D — March 10, 2010 @ 1:51 pm
Cindy,
I agree with you too. My partner and I have been together for four years now and he is on a student visa and we have spent more money than you can imagine for out of state tuition just to keep his visa legal and valid – not to mention the fact that he has not been able to work for four years. We had better be included in this round of immigration reform….
Comment by Greg — March 10, 2010 @ 5:24 pm
I’m in the same situation Greg. My partner has been paying so much money for me to be here in the last 4-5 years. Its a blessing though that we have been able to spend so much time together but it has come at a cost. Its not right to treat humans like dogs, the way gay people are treated in this country.
Comment by James — March 10, 2010 @ 7:35 pm
The folks at Courage Campaign has used Twitter to get the attention of one of the senators to co-sponsor the bill to repeal DADT.
Is there any way we can do something similar for UAFA?
Comment by T — March 11, 2010 @ 1:50 am
post #12, I meant to Mark: not everybody can do it the “legal way” and travel back and forth . We all have the same problems but some of us are more fortunate and have the possibility to travel back and forth, some of us just can’t financially and have to break the law. But you can’t blame them for doing so, it is not a choice most of the time. I wish I had the possibility to go back and forth to my home country to see my relatives. You should feel lucky you had that chance. I’ve been away from home for 6 years.
Comment by anonymous — March 11, 2010 @ 8:52 am
@ 19
I think we all can understand what you may be going through. However, you must also understand that there are some of us that choose to abide by the law, even if that means being separated from the person that we love, just to hope that the laws will change in our favors. These ppl also suffer too. And in a way, it doesn’t make sense that, for ex, if people that stay here illegally can become legal residents BEFORE the ones that made sacrifices under the law.
I’m not trying to say you deserve less rights or anything, but all of us suffer here.
(Correct me if I’m wrong though, even for a heterosexual couple, a person of illegal status can still be deported even if the American partner chooses to marry him/her… I would imagine that would be the case even if UAFA passes. I guess that would be part of why immigration inform will be so complicated.)
In any case, I hope UAFA can pass soon so that all of us can finally live in freedom.
Comment by T — March 11, 2010 @ 7:19 pm
As the Change.org mistake (two entries for the same issue in their poll) is (sadly) likely to illustrate, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” (Lincoln, 1858, and Matthew 12:25)
@ProCIR-UAFAWhatever: Your sisters and brothers in binational couples *need* your solidarity–their rights will not be vindicated if they stand alone. And your victory will be hollow if you gain your documents and leave your fellows at the border.
@ProUAFA-CIRWhatever: Objectively, you are right. In a mythical hierarchical schema of rights, your position comes out on top. But such a schema is a *myth*! CIR has a 25% chance of becoming law, UAFA zero. CIR *needs* as solid a base of support as can be built.
@All: Please stop the self-centered sniping. We will have achieved our rights when we *all* achieve *all* of our rights.
Comment by John — March 13, 2010 @ 3:37 am
…”T’.after being here 20 years .”you’re very nieve…”
-The SYSTEM is so Broken and dysfuctional…..you just can’t and “It (the system) won’t work for anyone anymore…..even MORE than that….you fail to see that
there are no options /paths for “us” to “work with in and or around”…..it’s that simple when 19 other countries do (options, categories etc in their system)
-second point as to “hetrosexual”.well even if they become “illegal” due to lack of participation by themsleves or any other elements etc ..and the they get married (to or with an american citizen)…AT THE END OF THE DAY .THERE is AT LEAST A LIGHT OR A REASONABLE TIME FRAME THAT “their paperwork/process” will be done and finished!…..with us “G&Lesbian”.people
THERE”S NO OPTION to work in and aroud etc etc etc BLAH BLAH BLAH .and that’s all were asking for (you’d think we were asking for the re-painting of the
sisteine chapel)
- BUT AGAIN to re-affirm the last point (Hetrosexual)…as said even if they fall out of status/are Illegal…..
THERE ARE OPTIONS AND (somewhat of a system) IN PLACE THAT THEY CAN
fix the problem…AND”THEY”hetrosexual HAVE A VAGUE/REASONABLE TIME FRAME THAT THE WHOLE PROCESS WILL BE DONE
and OVER WITH FOR THEM!
Comment by derek — March 15, 2010 @ 3:49 pm