Comprehensive Immigration Reform - Take a stance. Different strategy is in the works for immigration equality.
This is an exciting time in our history for American LGBT rights. Advocacy and our fight for immigration equality has been going on for decades, but this is a crucial moment. Read what some people are saying and why it's important to re-energize our efforts:
- Fact: it is quite likely
that there will be a comprehensive immigration
reform bill this year. As a result we are now
on a two track strategy, lobbying for UAFA as a
freestanding bill and UAFA as part of
comprehensive reform. To not try to be part of
the comprehensive bill would be foolish because
if it passes it is quite likely that Congress
will not want to deal with any immigration
issue again for many years. They will say
immigration is now fixed, regardless of the
facts -Chris Crain, "UAFA: A New
Tactic"
- Advocates may be pursuing a legislative
strategy, but they do not expect it to bear
fruit in the near future. President Obama has
said recently that he plans to push for
comprehensive immigration reform legislation at
some point later this year, and Cristina Finch,
HRC senior counsel, said that HRC plans to make
sure that the issues facing bi-national
same-sex couples are part of the debate on
immigration reform. But she said immigration
issues are already so politically charged that
it is unlikely UAFA would be part of any
comprehensive immigration bill.
- "Certainly that’s something that we’re
looking towards. If there’s going to be
comprehensive immigration reform legislation
we’d love to see the Uniting American Families
Act to be part of that. Unfortunately
immigration is a very touchy subject, and when
you add LGBT immigration on top of that it’s a
very heavy lift," said Finch.
- Asked about Obama’s stance on UAFA and the likelihood of its inclusion in comprehensive immigration legislation, White House spokesman Shin Inouye said in a statement that, "The president thinks Americans with partners from other countries should not be faced with a painful choice between staying with their partner or staying in their country. We will work closely with Congress to craft comprehensive immigration reform legislation." -Bay Windows, "Kerry pushes asylum status for gay man separated from spouse, but no easy answers on LGBT immigration"
