7am News, Sports and Obits
Latest WGIL news
Click to play or
Right click and "Save Target As" to download
Click for Galesburg, Illinois Forecast
Home - Cancellations - Community Events - Contact Us - Mornings - News - Obituaries - Pictures - Programs - Special Events Audio - Sports - Weather
Congressmen Want Same-Sex Couples Included in Immigration Reform
Two Illinois congressmen are proposing the inclusion of same-sex couples when it comes to immigration reform.

People in same-sex relationships can't sponsor their partners for immigration on the basis of a family connection the way married couples can. They are, in the eyes of the law, nothing but strangers, and that's wrong, says U.S. Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-Chicago), the point man in the U.S. House of Representatives on immigration reform.

"The cornerstone, the bedrock of any comprehensive immigration bill is family unity and family reunification," Gutierrez said. "And those children and those partners must be guaranteed the same rights as heterosexual couples under our immigration law."

Gutierrez and U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Chicago) are sponsors of the Uniting American Families Act, which would allow family-based petitions for same-sex couples, and which Gutierrez says is non-negotiable when it comes to immigration reform.

Quigley says he has seen and heard testimonials from numerous same-sex couples consisting of one or both partners from outside the United States, some of whom are legally married in other countries or in Iowa, for example, but who cannot submit an immigration petition on the basis of family unification.

Quigley says including gays in comprehensive immigration reform is important to building the coalition that will be necessary to pass a bill, if and when it is debated in Congress.

(Illinois Radio Network)
05 25 10 by Newsroom
News management powered by Xpression News

Click here for the WGIL News Archive

Click here for national news

The following provision applies to all visitors (which shall include persons and representatives of legal entities, whether such representatives are persons or digital engines of a kind that crawls, indexes, scrapes, copies, stores or transmits digital content). By accessing this Web site or digital service, you specifically acknowledge and agree that: (i) Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium; (ii) No Associated Press materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use; (iii) The Associated Press will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing; (iv) The Associated Press is an intended third party beneficiary of these terms and conditions and it may exercise all rights and remedies available to it; and (v) The Associated Press reserves the right to audit possible unauthorized commercial use of AP materials or any portion thereof at any time.