This Is What Equality Looks Like

Another reason to celebrate the death of the Defense of Marriage Act [DOMA] is that, in the olden days, the American citizen half of a straight binational couple—one spouse an American citizen, the other a foreign-born person—could sponsor their spouse for citizenship; it was that easy. Not so much for gay and lesbian binational couples. Even with marriage equality becoming law in several states, same-sex binational couples often faced the threat of deportation of the foreign born spouse because we did not have the same rights as our straight counterparts.

Now it’s a new day. And with the death of DOMA, gay and lesbian binational couples can now sponsor their spouses for a Green card with an end game of citizenship, just like Becky and Sanne.

The two women were married in the Netherlands, but live in North Carolina. And even though, back in 2012, North Carolina voters approved of their state’s anti-LGBT ‘Amendment 1’—which banned the state from performing, and even recognizing, same-sex marriages or civil unions—this past week when Becky and Sanne arrived at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services [USCIS] offices in Charlotte, North Carolina, they were treated like any other married couple.

The USCIS officer reviewed their relationship, from its beginnings in India, through time spent in Africa, Belgium, The Netherlands and now North Carolina, and he was satisfied that Becky and Sanne had provided sufficient evidence that they were legally married, and he reopened their previously denied green card application.

At the end of the interview, the USCIS Officer announced that Sanne was now a lawful permanent resident of the United States; and just 75 minutes after the interview began, the USCIS ordered production of the actual green card which is expected to come by mail sometime next week.

There are those that say the fight for marriage equality is a fight for ‘special’ rights, but the story of Becky and Sanne illustrates that really all we want is the same rights as our straight counterparts. We’d like to be married; we’d like our marriages recognized; we, like most people, want our marriages celebrated.

No more, no less; just equal.

via The DOMA Project

Good News Friday: A Republican Stands Up For LGBT Rights

Susan Collins, the Republican senator from Maine, has become the 27th co-sponsor of the Uniting American Families Act [UAFA]-- legislation would modify the immigration code to treat bi-national couples the same whether they’re gay or straight:

“This legislation would simply update our nation’s immigration laws to treat bi-national couples equally. More than two dozen countries recognize same-sex couples for immigration purposes. This important civil rights legislation would help prevent committed, loving families from being forced to choose between leaving their family or leaving their country.”

Right now, under current immigration code, only straight Americans can sponsor their spouses for US residency; those rights, as are most rights, aren't available to gay Americans. Still, passage of UAFA remains unlikely given the current makeup--read GOP makeup--of Congress, but, with her announcement, Susan Collins becomes the only Republican in either chamber of Congress to back UAFA.  

Her co-sponsorship of UAFA is also noteworthy because in 2010 she was among the “no” votes on another immigration-related bill called the DREAM Act, which would have offered young, undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship if they pursue a college education or military service.

Maybe, one day, she'll change that vote.

via The Washington Blade

Gay Binational Couple Wins Immigration Victory

I first heard of the tale of Bradford Wells and Anthony John Makk back in August when i saw an online petition to allow Sesame Streets' Bert and Ernie the right to marry. This story [in a post i lovingly called F**k Your Petition] pissed me off because here was Wells and Makk, who are real people, and really married, but Makk was being deported because his Visa had expired and their very real marriage was not recognized by these United States.
Well, now it looks like, with the help of House leader Nancy Pelosi, Senator Dianne Feinstein, and state Senator Mark Leno--all, of course, Democrats--Wells and Makk have been granted a two-year reprieve on their deportation case. 
John Makk a citizen of Australia, married Brad Wells, a U.S. citizen who suffers from AIDS-related illnesses, in Massachusetts seven years ago, though they have been partners for twenty years by now. Since their marriage, Makk is Wells' primary caregiver, but was denied consideration for a green card based on his marriage to a citizen by DOMA, the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which bars all federal marital rights and responsibilities to same-sex couples. 
See, had they been a straight couple, this would not even have been an issue.

Pelosi, Wells, and Makk

John Makk has been forced to “play the visa tag game back and forth,” for years--using tourist visas and business visas--up until 2010. Then he was told to leave.
But if John Makk left, he's never be able to get back into this country to care for his husband, and by staying, he is unable to see his own family in Australia.
It all sounds so very fair, doesn't it?
But now, with the aid of Pelosi, Feinstein and Leno, Makk and Wells have been given a reprieve of sorts; two more years, without threat of deportation. In a statement, Nancy Pelosi said, “I appreciate the consideration of [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services] in granting this relief to my constituents. I join Anthony and Bradford in celebrating the decision, and will continue to work to repeal the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act.”
As it should be.
We are not less than.
We are not different.
We deserve the same rights and privileges as any straight couple.
And, at least for the next two years, Bradford Wells and John Makk, do.


source

F**k Your Petition

So, this morning I'm strolling through the Internet, you know, browsing, making a comment here and there, when I stumble upon the news that there is a petition circulating to allow Sesame Street's Bert and Ernie to get married. Cute, right?

Wrong; this incensed me. Incensed.Me. And not because I'm anti-Muppet, but because I don't want to waste one single iota of my life signing frivolous, cutesy petitions for felt characters to get married when there are real issues out there.

Like, say, Bradford Wells and Australian John Makk. They been partners for nineteen years, and were legally married in Massachusetts seven years ago. But, John Makk is Australian and his visa has expired and he's being forced to leave the country.

And someone wants my name on a Muppet petition?

Citing that old bigoted, hate-filled DOMA, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services denied John Makk's application for residency, even though he meets several of the criteria needed. he is the spouse, the legal spouse, of an American citizen, and he is the sole caregiver of said American citizen; he has no criminal history whatsoever and he has resided in this country, under various visas, for many year.

Too bad, so sad, you're gay, get out.

But, um, could you sign this petition for Bert and Ernie before you go?

Where's the petition for Bradford Wells and John Makk? And for countless other same-sex, bi-national couples facing deportation because they happen to reside in a backasswards country that doesn't recognize their marriage? We all giggle and coo over the idea of fucking Muppets getting married and just sit back and do nothing while a real-life couple is torn apart.

Good News Monday: Immigration Equality Will Sue Over DOMA

Immigration Equality, a group that works on LGBT immigration-related issues, is planning to file a lawsuit against the Defense of Marriage Act [DOMA], challenging that the statute is unfair to married bi-national same-sex couples.

Steve Ralls, of Immigration Equality, said the lawsuit will be filed on behalf of gay Americans who are married and have their marriages recognized in their home state, but are unable to sponsor their partners for residency under current immigration law: “There’s no doubt that the administration’s new stance on DOMA has created a new window of opportunity to advocate on behalf of our families within the court system. We believe we have a good shot at winning and securing immigration rights for, at the very least, couples who are legally married in states where those marriages are valid.”

Preparation for the lawsuit comes in the wake of the announcement from President Obama last week that he will no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act against litigation in court--now, before some of you wingnuts go all crazy, he said he wouldn't defend DOMA in court, but he is still enforcing it because it's the law.
 
Ralls hopes to have plaintiffs identified within the next three to four weeks, and the suit will follow shortly thereafter. “We believe there is a real opportunity to bring a successful challenge in federal court and win a victory for couples who are struggling to remain together under current immigration laws. We’re expanding our legal advocacy work to include a federal challenge because, as the legal experts on bi-national couples and immigration law, we believe we have the expertise to mount the strongest possible suit.”

Another footfall on the path to real equality.

source