Claire cannot work here because she is on a visitor's visa. I've been a single parent for over ten years with no outside support. Claire looks for work, and has been on two job interviews. She is highly qualified, but with each passing day the tension grows as the expiration date of her visa grows nearer. She must find an employer to petition for her work visa. Our long term solution is to leave the United States and immigrate to Canada if no other options open up to allow to remain here together. Once Claire starts working we can save the money needed to send off the applications and to start a new life there. We'd like to move to Vancouver or Toronto, both of which are multi-cultural cities and have large lesbian communities. Choosing the right place to live for me is very important, not only as we are queer, but because Alicia is bi-racial. I get angry when I think that all three of us may be forced to leave our own countries to be together. We will leave behind all of our friends, families and colleagues and support network to face the challenge of creating a new life in a new country. (photo: LGIRTF, Immigration Equality archive) Read more Claire & Kathleen: Four Years After Meeting On The Way To A K.D. Lang Concert, This Chicago Couple Shares Their Story

Tags: LGIRTF, Immigration Equality, gay immigration, equality