Comments for Immigration Equality

Comment on See the Video Everyone’s Talking About by Estefan

Estefan — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:00:19 +0000

Sympathetic to the cause—am in the same situation myself—but can’t imagine why anyone is talking about this video. I’m happy that Matt and Yoav are married–their love for each other is apparent–but this video does very little to educate people about, or inspire support for, the cause. It is a very voyeuristic video laden with superficiality. (Not your lives, guys, just the parts we see portrayed in the video.) Let’s hear the drama, let’s see the tears, let’s see the sleepless nights waiting for time zones to catch up so you can Skype. Let’s hear about the career Matt is going to be leaving behind. Let’s move beyond poignant music videos, folks, and get some hard hitting—shouting—dialogue going. Let’s face it, squeaky wheels get greased. Another “ain’t love grand” music video isn’t anything worth talking about.

Comment on NY Lawmakers Join Immigration Equality to Help Binational Gay Couple Stay Together by National Briefs: USCIS: New York | US Senators

National Briefs: USCIS: New York | US Senators — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:30:39 +0000

[...] to the group Immigration Equality, Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer and Rep. Tim Bishop, all New York Democrats, [...]

Comment on Denied! U.S. Says No Green Card for Married Lesbian by Ralph

Ralph — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:32:18 +0000

There is a petition featured on Change.org. Gay rights – Service members league. It is petitioning John Boehner to stop defending DOMA. It is extremely helpful if word gets out to get people to sign the petition.
We must stop DOMA now 2012!
Best wishes and life’s best to all.

Comment on Prop 8 Struck Down. What Does It Mean? by Diego

Diego — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:24:40 +0000

hello….does anyone have any idea when the repeal of DOMA is going to be at the Supreme Court of Appeals?…ive been trying to find information about that but i havent found anything yet….we are moving forward,,,thank you immigration equality!!

Comment on Denied! U.S. Says No Green Card for Married Lesbian by Steven

Steven — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:02:58 +0000

I completely identify with all of the couples in this miserable and unfair situation. I, too, am deeply in love, committed and devoted to a man who does not have legal status yet in the USA. His case was approved but waiting, now for 11 years, for laws to change to enable him to become a green card holder. He can not even go home to his country to see his mother without being barred from his home in the USA where he works and pays taxes and there is not one thing I can do about it – yet! However, I am determined to change that.
Why should genitalia make a bit of difference? This is not the Defense of MARRIAGE Act – this is the Defense of GENITALIA Act! The only thing preventing me and my partner from marrying is that one of us needs to have an opposite gender. Our love, our devotion, our commitment, our spiritual bond means nothing to the US Government. Their definition of Marriage is measured by genitals and nothing more. In a country where heterosexuals can marry, abuse the system for their own devices, carelessly keep changing partners, divorcing, collecting spousal support and misusing every legal right for their own personal gain, all I want is to be free to live in my own country with the person I love! I want to offer him the right to visit his family and take me with him as his spouse.
If anyone has further information for me, names of legal counsel who I can contact, please let me know by replying to this posting. Thank you!

Comment on Prop 8 Struck Down. What Does It Mean? by Keith

Keith — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:57:14 +0000

Really appreciate the update on this case (and all the good work Immigration Equality is doing!) It would be great to read an update on the status of DOMA. Where is it in the courts? What might be a likely timeline for it to be heard again? Thanks.

Comment on Prop 8 Struck Down. What Does It Mean? by Kathy Holley

Kathy Holley — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:25:29 +0000

I remember a time when the popular vote had to be overturned to give black Americans their civil rights. This country was very divided during that time as well. So, there is hope as long as we keep working and teaching through example. We can change the hearts and minds of those who believe in fairness and equal rights even if only in principle.

Comment on Prop 8 Struck Down. What Does It Mean? by davinia

davinia — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:51:16 +0000

This is really great news! It gives hope for a better future for all of us.

Comment on Nadler, Pelosi and 67 Members of Congress Urge Immigration Officials to Consider LGBT Family Ties in Deportation Cases by Sebastian

Sebastian — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:49:29 +0000

Well, let’s face it. Living in anti-gay saetts is generally hazardous to ANYBODY’s health!While there is not necessarily a causation factor, there’s certainly pretty much a 1:1 correlation between saetts that are anti-gay, infested by Fundamentalist Christianists, and controlled by Republicans on the one hand and saetts with worse than national average rates of early pregnancy, low birthweight, infant mortality, marital break-ups, households living below the poverty line, violent crime, and many other not-so-nice things. The connections can be readily devised from the Census Bureau. The question of causation is a matter of personal interpretation, and in some instances there may be a “chicken-and-egg” phenomenon.

Comment on Immigration Equality Responds to the State of the Union by Helen Gavoe

Helen Gavoe — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:19:02 +0000

It is not just LGBT couples that face discrimination in the Visa application process. Couples with racial, cultural, and age differences go through living hell. There is no oversight, no accountability, and no official monitoring and evaluation of the Consular interviewing process. Every interview should be recorded and if there is any question of bias the interview should be evaluated by an oversight committee. You can be put on indefinite “hold” with no explanation and no information on how to help resolve what ever issue they have determined is a problem. We have had our age difference questioned, my previous marriages (all to US citizens), and the last excuse was that we didn’t have a “cultural” wedding. What we didn’t have was unlimited resources. I have written my Congressman and the reply to him was on indefinite hold for further investigation. They have reams of documentation including clean police records for my husband. And we have no one advocating for us. Couples in the same situation are afraid to speak out…afraid it will cause complete denial. But they would rather keep you in limbo. If they deny the application outright then the FOIA requires the justify it. All couple going through the visa application process involving 3rd world countries need an advocate.