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"