House Dems Urge the DHS to Include Same-Sex Couples in Immigration Discretion

On Wednesday, over 80 House Democrats urged the Department of Homeland Security to allow give undocumented immigrants who are involved in same-sex marriages and relationships the same protections as heterosexual couples when it comes to immigration matters and deportation.

In a letter sent to the Department of Homeland Security, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and 83 other House Democrats urged President Obama to make good on a promise he made last August that would give LBGT immigrants the same protections as straight couples.

“Keeping loving families together, particularly in cases in which one partner or spouse is a U.S. citizen, should be a priority for immigration enforcement,” Pelosi said in a statement, “The Department of Homeland Security has stated that their policy will positively factor in family ties, including those of LBGT couples, but we have now asked them to put this in writing to provide a measure of clarity to those enforcing the laws and confidence to families facing separation.”

In some cases, federal judges have blocked the deportation of same-sex couples, but legislators want better assurances.

Some of the Democrats who signed the letter have introduced legislation- that would provide better protections for LBGT couples.  Two bills—the Uniting Families Act and the Reuniting Families Act, have been introduced to the House, but there is no indication of when they will go up for vote.

The reluctance of Conservative lawmakers to give LBGT citizens the right to marry will likely weigh in on the debate of whether same-sex immigrants deserve the right to be protected from deportation, and the bills are unlikely to pass in the Republican-controlled House.

Even without added protections, LBGT immigrants can get a favorable decision for their deportation cases when they have a skilled immigration attorney working on their case.