Picture yourself in a room full of people you don’t know. It’s too awkward to stand there alone, so you survey the scene, looking for a group to join. The progression is always the same. Anyone I know? Nope. Anyone who’s like me? Nope. Anyone who looks like they might like people like me? The…
This past Election Day, LGBT rights activists had a lot to celebrate. Marriage equality was legalized on the state level by popular vote for the first time, but not just with one state’s vote, but in all three states where freedom to marry the one you love was on the ballot: Maryland, Maine and Washington….
The Department of Homeland Security has issued new guidelines for immigration personnel for determining whether a same-sex relationship would “rise to the level of a ‘family relationship.’” Obtained exclusively Tuesday by the Washington Blade, the memorandum from U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) was welcomed by LGBT advocates and lawmakers seeking greater protection for bi-national…
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is issuing new, written guidance that will extend discretionary relief to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) immigrants with U.S. citizen spouses and partners. The new written directive, which was announced in response to a congressional letter spearheaded by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY),…
Washington (CNN) – Mitt Romney told an interviewer Monday that he has never met with Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, the architect of tough immigration laws in Alabama and Arizona who says he has been counseling Romney for years. Univision America Radio host Helen Aguirre-Ferre asked Romney, who spent Monday making a push for…
The Republican National Convention concludes tonight with former Gov. Mitt Romney’s speech officially accepting the Republican nomination for president of the United States. As the convention approached, most pundits agreed he and his surrogates had two missions: reintroduce Romney and get back to the “real issues.” Reintroducing Romney was never going to be a problem…
PHOENIX – As long lines formed at help centers and lawyers’ offices across America, Wednesday with thousands of young, undocumented immigrants applying for relief from deportation, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer issued an executive order directing state agencies to deny benefits – including driver’s licenses – to “Deferred Action” recipients. The Deferred Action program is one…
Understanding ‘Deferred Action’ Dear Editor: I write to urge you to provide a follow up to the “Path to second-class citizenship” article that was written in the June 28, 2012 issue of the LGBT Weekly. Some of the information provided is inaccurate. I hope the June 28 article did not confuse nor dissuade undocumented immigrants…
A judge’s decision Wednesday played in the favor of five same-sex couples who will not face deportation despite the ongoing battle arising from the Defense of Marriage Act – a discriminatory policy that has prevented all five couples from petitioning for the foreign-born partner citizen relief program. Petitioners in the lawsuit were granted the right…
INDIANAPOLIS – The Episcopal Church has approved a new liturgy for blessing same-sex unions, two proposals adding gender identity and expression to the Church’s nondiscrimination canons for ordained ministry and in the “life, worship, and governance of the Church,” and a resolution supporting legislation for equal immigration rights for same-sex couples. The votes took place…
