LET MY BABY COME HOME!

Bill would allow gays to sponsor foreign partners
By 365gay Newscenter Staff
02.12.2009 5:30pm EST

(Washington) Legislation was re-introduced in Congress Thursday that would allow Americans in a same-sex relationship to sponsor their “permanent partners” for legal residency in the United States, a right currently afforded only to opposite-sex couples under immigration law.
The Uniting American Families Act was filed in the House by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY). Nadler has been fighting for the bill for nearly eight years. With Democrats now in Control of the Congress and the White House Nader said Thursday he is hopeful the measure will become law. “In 2009, we should be ready as a society to acknowledge that stable American families come in all varieties,” said Nadler.
“We in fact strengthen our communities – and our nation – by encouraging loving couples and families to stay together and live as cohesive units. Any committed couple deserves the potential to form a life and a family together – this is a basic human right – and whether that couple is gay or straight should be irrelevant. Gay and lesbian Americans in loving, committed relationships deserve the same rights as everyone else. ”Because the U.S. does not legally recognize same-sex couples and their children as families, many same-sex bi-national couples are torn apart when one partner lives in the United States. The Uniting American Families Act would add the term “or permanent partner” to those sections of the Immigration and Naturalization Act that apply to legally married couples.
“Permanent partner” is described as an adult who is in a committed, intimate relationship with another adult in “which both parties intend a lifelong commitment.” The legislation would afford equal immigration benefits to permanent partnerships - but would also apply the same restrictions and enforcement standards.