No Green Cards for Gay Immigrants

Every once in awhile I'll come across a story about a gay couple who are having problems with US Immigration. One of them is a citizen of the United States and the other one is staying in the US with a work visa. Once the visa expires, one of them has to leave the country, or they both have to leave the United States. Without legal status of marriage, there are really no options left. This happened to a couple of friends of mine years ago. Rather than having to end their relationship, the one who was the United States citizen had to leave the United States with his partner. They ended up going from country to country with no real home.

This is the case of the couple I read about today. They are in the process of selling their home and their possessions and must leave the country when the work visa expires in April, 2004.

Under immigration law, only family members can sponsor foreigners for green cards. The permanent partner immigration act now being considered by Congress would create a new category that would give same-sex partners the same privilege without the benefit of marriage.

111 Congress members support the bill, but that's far short of what's needed for passage. And with the current anti-gay marriage atmosphere, this bill won't have a chance in a Republican-controlled Congress. The bill has been introduced in Congress every year for the past three years.