EQUALITY ILLINOIS
on behalf of Metro East Pride
LGBT Immigration Developments
September 1, 2010
(CHICAGO)
Equality Illinois is committed to including bi-national same-sex couples in immigration reform. Earlier this summer, EQIL co-hosted a press conference with U.S. Representatives Luis V. Gutierrez (IL-4), Mike Quigley (IL-5) and Jared Polis (CO-2) to press for inclusion of same-sex couples and their families in comprehensive immigration reform efforts in Congress this year. Now EQIL is joining forces with prominent LGBT community organizations in forming a coalition to educate about the need for fair and inclusive immigration reform and to advocate for Congressional action.
The next meeting of the coalition will take place on Wednesday, September 8 at 7:45 am at Nookies Tree in Chicago. Join us.
CIR ASAP (H.R. 4321), the current comprehensive bill cosponsored by 101 other members, does not currently include a specific provision extending legal immigration benefits to bi-national same-sex couples and their families. However, at the press conference mentioned above, the attending members of Congress committed to inclusion of a specific provision that would allow an American citizen in a committed same-sex bi-national relationship to petition for an immigrant visa for her or his permanent partner in the same manner as an opposite-sex couple can. This would ensure that all American families can remain together through the immigration process. As many as 40,000 couples - many with American citizen children - would benefit from the provision. Other key provisions of CIR ASAP, including legalization provisions for undocumented residents, asylum policy reforms, and treatment in detention, already apply to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons.
MORE INFO~ www.equalityillinois.org
