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Border & Immigration

LGBT Couples Not Satisfied With Immigration Bill

LGBT Couples Not Satisfied With Immigration Bill
Binational LGBT spouses had hoped to gain immigration rights, but senators excluded them from their bill.

Under current immigration law, a U.S. citizen can get a green card for his or her spouse, but not if they are in a same-sex relationship.

For months lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists have been lobbying to get that into the Senate’s proposed immigration reform bill. But senators did not include it.

On a practical level, there’s a chance that won’t matter. If the Supreme Court overturns the Federal Defense of Marriage Act this summer, same-sex married couples could become eligible for federal benefits, including immigration.

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But Amos Lim, a gay activist with Out 4 Immigration, says LGBT spouses can't bank on that.

“As binational couples we don’t want to put all our eggs in one basket," Lim said.

His group, along with many others, plans to keep pressing to be included in the proposed immigration bill as it’s debated in the Senate.