Scroll To Top

House Dems Bring Gay Rights into Immigration Debate: Conservative Heads Explode

Prepare for all hell to break loose on the right now that Fox News is reporting that Democrats are trying to broaden immigration reform with a provision in immigration legislation that would allow gay and lesbian American citizens a basic right -- to live with and love their foreign-born same-sex partners in the United States. At a news conference Thursday, Democratic Reps. Jerrold Nadler of New York, Luis Gutierrez of Illinois and Mike Honda of Californian urged Congress to pass the Uniting American Families Act as one piece of a comprehensive immigration reform package.

Prepare for all hell to break loose on the right now that Fox News is reporting that Democrats are trying to broaden immigration reform with a provision in immigration legislation that would allow gay and lesbian American citizens a basic right -- to live with and love their foreign-born same-sex partners in the United States.

At a news conference Thursday, Democratic Reps. Jerrold Nadler of New York, Luis Gutierrez of Illinois and Mike Honda of Californian urged Congress to pass the Uniting American Families Act as one piece of a comprehensive immigration reform package.

"Right now too many same-sex, binational couples face an impossible choice," said Gutierrez, who sits on the House Judiciary Committee's immigration subcommittee, "to live apart or to break the law to be with partners, their families and children."

“Government should never engage in purposeless, gratuitous cruelty and we should stop it," Nadler said.

Currently bi-national same-sex couples, by virtue of there being no federally recognized marriage for gay people in the United States, do not have the same human rights as married heterosexual couples, who, through their federally recognized marriage can typically stay together once they’ve applied for a green card or an immigrant visa for the non-American born partner.

Members of the GOP bristled at the Dems’ proposed provision.

"It tries to redefine traditional marriage. I can't support that," Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, told Fox News. "If they're looking to truly reach out to conservatives and Republicans and do something in a bipartisan way, this isn't it."

Immigration rights activists are seeking to energize the LGBT community around immigration interviews, according to Rachel Tiven of Immigration Equality, which fights for equal immigration rights for the LGBT community and for HIV positive immigrants.

"Last time around the pro-immigration side took us for granted. ... It is crucial to shore up the support of real genuine progressives who will pick up the phone and call their representatives," Tiven said.