This page contains letters signed by elected officials, usually written to the President or relevant members of Congress.

14_Lt_LGBT on Sep 27, 2011

Rep. Nadler, lead sponsor of the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), was joined by 68 Members of Congress in pushing to protect LGBT binational families from unnecessary deportations. The 69 Members sent letters to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Attorney General Eric Holder requesting that LGBT family ties be considered in pending deportation cases involving binational same-sex couples:

Wrote the Members. "We ask that you ensure that recognition of LGBT family ties is reflected in the work of DHS and DOJ employees. Without specific guidance, it is unlikely that agency officers, agents, and attorneys making decisions about individual cases will be aware that LGBT family ties are a factor for consideration."

Some background on UAFA:
• UAFA would add the term "permanent partner" to sections of the Immigration and Naturalization Act that apply to married heterosexual couples.
• This legislation would afford equal immigration benefits to permanent partners as exist for married heterosexuals, and it would impose the same restrictions.
• Because [federal law] does not legally recognize gay and lesbian couples and their children as families, many same-sex binational couples are torn apart.
• Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) also introduced UAFA in the Senate.

Several Republican lawmakers have expressed strong opposition to granting same-sex couples equal immigration rights, including Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). McCain has criticized including same-sex couples in comprehensive immigration reform, saying that such a provision would kill the bill. "Which is more important: LGBT or border security?" McCain asked. "I'll tell you what my priorities are. If you're going to load it up with social issues, that is the best way to derail it, in my view."

Participating counts on VoteMatch question 12. Question 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens Scores: -2=Strongly oppose; -1=Oppose; 0=neutral; 1=Support; 2=Strongly support.
• Topic: Civil Rights
• Headline: Protect LGBT families from illegal immigrant deportation (Score: 1)
• Headline 2: Protect LGBT families from illegal immigrant deportation (Score: 2)
  
  Participating counts on AmericansElect question 4.
• Headline: Protect LGBT families from illegal immigrant deportation (Answer: B)
• Headline 2: Protect LGBT families from illegal immigrant deportation (Answer: A)
• AmericansElect Quiz Question 4 on Immigration: When you think about illegal immigration, which of the following solutions come closest to your opinion?
  • A: All illegal immigrants should be able to stay in the US legally
  • B: Most illegal immigrants should be able to stay in the US, with some exceptions
  • C: Most illegal immigrants should be deported, with some exceptions
  • D: All illegal immigrants should be deported
  • E: Unsure
  
  
  
• Key for participation codes:
• Sponsorships: p=sponsored; o=co-sponsored; s=signed
• Memberships: c=chair; m=member; e=endorsed; f=profiled; s=scored
• Resolutions: i=introduced; w=wrote; a=adopted
• Cases: w=wrote; j=joined; d=dissented; c=concurred
• Surveys: '+' supports; '-' opposes.