Uniting American Families Act

UAFA was introduced under a different name in 2000 and in 2003. No one talked about it much and it was lost in committee. In 2005 UAFA was introduced concurrently in the House and the Senate, where it gained a lot of cosponsors, but again was lost in committee. On May 8, 2007, Uniting American Families Act was introduced to the 4th Congress in 8 years. Just like In the previous 3 congresses it was swept under the table and was ultimately lost in committee and never came anywhere close to a vote. Now, after nearly 10 years, in the 111th Congress on February 12, 2009, Uniting American Families Act was introduced again and has gained rapid amounts of support. But, the same thing is going to happen again with UAFA in this congress and the Obama administration, unless we get everyone's help with putting pressure on our leadership in Washington and telling everyone we know about the problems that face us. We've been waiting too long. Yet, still, the majority of Americans and LGBT community will never be affected by any of this, for those of us that are---the pain and suffering is real and has continued for entirely too long.

UPDATE: A New Day Has Come

Finally, for the first time ever, Uniting American Families Act will have it's day before the Senate on June 3, 2009.

Uniting American Families Act will help loving same-sex couples keep their families together without living in fear of harassment or deportation

UAFA would allow same-sex couples to sponsor their “permanent partners” for legal residency in the United States. This right is currently afforded to opposite-sex couples under U.S. immigration law and the same scrutiny would apply to limit potential fraud. Immigration equality should be afforded to all Americans, but because the U.S. does not legally recognize same-sex couples and their children as families, many same-sex bi-national couples are torn apart when one partner lives in the United States. “UAFA is a matter of basic fairness and compassion,” Congressman Nadler said. “Our immigration code recognizes that it’s excessively cruel to keep couples and families apart, and the Uniting American Families Act would simply extend that recognition to same-sex couples.”

We are American and Immigration Equality Is Our Right

Imagine living in a country that forced you into exile just because you choose to remain with the love of your life. Imagine having to go underground in order to escape your government's attempt to separate your family, or imagine living in a country where you constantly feared having your lives torn apart and not being able to plan a future together. The American government and many Americans are labeling our families as irrelevant. And when you choose to do nothing, you are among them.

Try to imagine what it would feel like to have to cross the border into your home country (the U.S.) separately than your spouse and having to lie to border patrol about your married status, because if they suspected that you're married, you're partner could be deported and you left waiting alone on the other side, not knowing what happened, or where you would go next. They are not required to tell you anything, because your relationship is invalid to them. Imagine it, but, don't imagine too hard--because that country is our America and for some of us, it is a scary, and psychologically abusive place to be.