US immigration law should recognize gay couples
April 23 2009 by Gareth McConnell
Further support for the Uniting American Families Act and equal rights for same-sex partnerships is emerging to compliment the already stellar list of supporters including President Obama and Senator Patrick Leahy. If passed it will result in major changes to US immigration policy.
The latest person to add their voice to the debate is Democratic committeeman, Gary Waldron, who is urging support to outlaw US immigration rules that discriminate against gay partnerships.
A professor of business law and business ethics at Nova Southeastern University, Waldron explains current laws make it impossible for foreign nationals without a US green card to move to the US with their US citizen partner/ spouse.
“[It] forces U.S. citizens to leave the country to live with their partners or "for the two in a loving union to break apart and live in different countries,” says Waldron.
“A lot of people meet people who aren’t Americans and fall in love with them but they can’t live with them,” he said. “Straight couples who marry “can get a green card in usually six months and within five years become a citizen.”
Canada, Australia, Great Britain, Israel, Brazil, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa and Sweden, lead the way in welcoming same-sex partners but the issue still divides the leader of the free world.
The Uniting American Families Act, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Gerrold Nadler, D-N.Y. Broward cosponsors include U.S. Reps. Alcee Hastings, Kendrick Meek, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Robert Wexler., would change that allowing lesbian and gay relationships to sponsor their partners for US citizenship.
Waldron believes President Obama will include it his US immigration reforms and hopes it will be enacted later this year.
Have your say on the Uniting American Families Act on the Global Visas blog.
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