Nov 2nd, 2006
Separate and SO NOT Equal for Multinational Families
When marriage equality is “left up to the States to decide” (which is often a centrist-seeming response many politicians offer), same-sex couples are still denied the federal rights that come with marriage. Social Security benefits is a big one. Another one is the right for a non-U.S. partner to be sponsored to stay in the country. Binational couples who fall in love and then face the expiration of a visa or the threat of deportation can ensure they stay together by getting married. Same-sex couples cannot.
Take, for example, the family in the photo above.
Here’s what Immigration Equality has to say about them:
What Does New Jersey Mean for this Family?
Nothing. The good news from New Jersey [of pending marriage rights for same-sex couples] will not allow Mark (left), a U.S. citizen, to sponsor his French partner, “Fabien,” for a green card. After two decades as a couple - and two children - Mark and Fabien’s family is still completely unrecognized under American immigration law. Because immigration law is federal, and federal law refuses to acknowledge same-sex couples, New Jersey’s decision does not change the situation Mark and Fabien face. The family - including John, age 8 and Claire Marie, age 3 - will have to leave the country when Fabien’s visa runs out.
What a choice: being forced to uproot your family and leave the United States, or being forced to separate and raise the kids as an involuntary single parent. How, O, how is this terrible choice in the best interest of the children?
Right-Wing response: They should have thought about that before they had kids…
My counter response: No, you should have thought about this before you based your anti-gay marriage rhetoric on the bogus “best interest of the children” talking point.
I hear so much today about same sex marriage. Important as that is to me it’s more important that the law is changed so that US Immigration would recognize same sex multinational couples. My partner of about 8 years is here on a work visa. Getting a green card is very difficult, a long wait, expensive, and up to his employer. So is the Green Card Diversification Lottery, which he has been entering for the last 8 years.
Marriage is great…. But I need to be able to sponsor my partner to stay in this country before we can even begin to think about marriage. Or even being able to live together. I am hoping the recent elections and the democratic appointments will make some changes in this area. It’s LONG over due.