Ask Your Representative to Cosponsor the Uniting American Families Act

Published February 08, 2009 @ 10:32PM PT

This week, take the opportunity to move the country forward on two fronts--LGBT rights and immigrant rights--by calling your congressional representative and asking him or her to cosponsor the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA). What a great Valentine's Day gift this would be for binational same-sex couples currently facing forced separation!

From Immigration Equality (mirrored at change.org's Gay Rights blog):

Rep. Jerrold Nadler plans to reintroduce the 'Uniting American Families Act' on Feb. 13.

You can make the bill a success by convincing your Representative to support the bill from Day One.

Reintroducing the bill with as many cosponsors as possible will show powerful momentum for the rights of gay and lesbian bi-national couples!

Please call your Representatives and ask them to be an original cosponsor of the "Uniting American Families Act of 2009"

1. Find out who your U.S. House Representative is. Go to:
http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/index.htm
enter your address, and you will be provided the name of your U.S. Representative.

2. Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your U.S. Representative.

3. Tell your representative's staff:
I am calling to ask Representative__________ to be an original cosponsor of the 'Uniting American Families Act of 2009'. To cosponsor, he/she must contact Rep. Jerrold Nadler, who is the lead sponsor, at (202)225-5635.

The U.S. government discriminates against gay and lesbian bi-national couples by not allowing us to sponsor our foreign-born life partners for immigration. Because of this, we face the terrible choice of separating from the person we love or leaving our country. As Americans, we should not have to choose between family and country. Please ask Rep. _________________ to cosponsor the 'Uniting American Families Act of 2009' by reaching out to Rep. Nadler before February 12.

Thanks for asking your member of Congress to celebrate love this Valentine's Day by cosponsoring UAFA!

And Rachel Tiven, Immigration Equality's executive director, left his helpful note in comments to IE's post above:

If you click on http://www.immigrationequality.org/template.php?pageid=152 you can see the co-sponsors from the last Congress. Keep in mind that right now, it's most important to focus on the people who are *on* that list. If your Member of Congress co-sponsored the bill last time, ask him or her to return as an original co-sponsor in the new Congress.

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Comments (15)

Is the "Uniting American Families Act of 2009" misnamed? Are we really talking about "American" here, or "Foreign-American"? And are we really talking about "Families" here, or merely "Homosexual Couples"? Would the act be better named as the "Uniting Foreign-American Homosexual Couples Act of 2009".
Discussion?

Posted by Kurt Thialfad on 02/09/2009 @ 10:05AM PT
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We are talkin about a gay American wanting to marry a gay foreigner. i dont supose its for illegal gay individuals, since from what i know, immigrants who entered here illegally is hard for them to change status by marrying an American (gay American) person. i might be wrong though...

i am not much educated about this issue, but regardless... i support gay rights.

reatardo, dont use the word homosexual.

Posted by Alex Shqipe on 02/09/2009 @ 05:40PM PT
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don't use the word "reatardo", nitwit.

Posted by Kurt Thialfad on 05/28/2009 @ 04:48PM PT
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You guys are both wrong to some extent.

Kurt, the act would apply to all couples, not only same-sex couples. Heterosexual couples who do not wish to get married would be able to benefit from it.

Alex, the act has nothing to do with marriage. It would merely give an American citizen the right to sponsor his/her foreign national partner for permanent residency.

Posted by Greg C on 02/10/2009 @ 09:36AM PT
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im sorry, i dont know much about this. Thanks for correcting me :)

Posted by Alex Shqipe on 02/10/2009 @ 01:29PM PT
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Does the couple need to be in a recognized relationship; recognized by the state as a 'marriage' or 'civil union', or can they be just any 2 people? I guess I'm asking, does the relationship need to meet some legal litmus test?

Posted by Wire Paladin on 02/10/2009 @ 07:47PM PT
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The individuals have to meet the same requirements as if they were getting married (financial interdependence, etc.)

Posted by Greg C on 02/10/2009 @ 08:16PM PT
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Greg C; And what would those requirements be? Blood test? Can't be related (e.g. siblings); can't be involved in existing marriage; must be legal age? What else?

Posted by Wire Paladin on 02/11/2009 @ 07:51AM PT
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Thanks for the reminder. I'm on it! :-)

Posted by a d on 02/11/2009 @ 07:35PM PT
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Me and my husband are already married and my children don't want my "illegal" husband to get deported. What's wrong with people. My husband crossed the border illegal, but why should me and our children be punished? We have to wonder everyday if he will get pulled over on his way home from work and risk being deported for driving with no license. Please people there are more important things than money. I was born in the US why can't I live happy with my husband?!!!?

Posted by J Ceballos on 02/14/2009 @ 04:32PM PT
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I FEEL LIKE THE IMMIGRATION PROCESS IS VIOLATING MY RIGHTS AS A US CITIZEN JUST BECAUSE I MARRIED SOMEONE WHO WAS NOT BORN HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by J Ceballos on 02/14/2009 @ 04:34PM PT
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First of all, don't drive without a license. You risk yourself and others. Take the bus, train, walk, or bike.
At every marriage ceremony, the facilitator says "Does anyone present have any reason why these two should not be joined, speak now or forever hold your piece". At that point, your betrothed or some else - should have brought up the fact that your betrothed is undocumented and has no guarantee he can remain in the US.
You can also consider divorce.

Posted by Wire Paladin on 02/15/2009 @ 07:42AM PT
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First of all Wire, it is speak now or forever hold your peace, not "speak now or forever hold your piece".
Secondly, you are absolutely crazy if you think someone who really, truly loves someone is going to get a divorce or not get married just because they are illegal. Also, many times the relationship is already established before someone finds out their significant other is illegal. And you can't say anything about that, because how many people do you know who will meet someone saying, "Hi my name is ________, and I am illegal" or "Hi my name is ________, and I have HIV", etc.? Nobody I can think of. Usually that comes out once the person is comfortable with you or knows you and knows there will be a relationship.
My Husband and I really, truly love each other. We are not together just for money or whatever. We are together for one reason only, love. And if you think that I am going to let you or anyone else tell me I should not have married my Husband just because he was merely born in another country, you are absolutely insane!

Posted by Jessica Carmona on 06/04/2009 @ 08:26AM PT
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jessica;
Someone who truly loves someone would not put that person in legal limbo.
It is not that he was merely born in another country, it's that he is in the country illegally.
And I'm not telling you what to do. Do as you please. If you don't want advise, you shouldn't post on this blog.

Posted by Wire Paladin on 06/05/2009 @ 03:51PM PT
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Wire:
Did you read anything I wrote?
If you are NOT here for CHANGE,
then YOU should not post here!

Posted by Jessica Carmona on 06/05/2009 @ 07:35PM PT
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David is an attorney in Philadelphia, PA, where he helps immigrants to the U.S. navigate the complex immigration legal system. Views he expresses at change.org are his alone and don't represent the views or opinions of his employer, Nationalities Service Center. The information contained on this site is intended for educational and advocacy purposes only.