Washington Blade - September 8, 2006
Joshua Lynsen

Out4Immigration, based in San Francisco, is working with other gay rights and immigration groups to promote a bill that would allow gay Americans to sponsor their foreign partners for immigration.

"It's got to happen sooner rather than later," said Belinda Ryan, the group's president, "because so many people are hurt by this discrimination."

Out4Immigration championed the Uniting American Families Act during several Labor Day immigration rallies in California. A similar rally was scheduled to occur Sept. 7 in Washington, D.C.

Although not part of the proposed immigration reform package, UAFA has growing support in Congress.

In the last four months, 11 senators and House members joined the list of bill supporters. The legislation, lead by Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), has 118 sponsors. Nearly all of the sponsors are Democrats.

Ryan, a 42-year-old lesbian from England who's in America on a worker's visa, admitted UAFA lacks the support it needs for immediate passage.

"I think at the moment, there's so much going on with the existing immigration legislation," she said. "It's too comprehensive a bill to be included in the Senate bill or the House bill."

But she said Out4Immigration is working with several immigration groups and gay activists to keep UAFA on the congressional agenda.

West Coast voices

Out4Immigration, which has about 200 members, was founded earlier this year to give voice to West Coast gays afflicted by current immigration restrictions.

Ryan said her group works in conjunction with other gay organizations, such as Immigration Equality in New York, to reunify bi-national gay couples and end the U.S. ban on HIV-positive immigrants.

Rachel Tiven, the New York group's executive director, said the collective efforts keep those causes alive.

"Immigration Equality is seeing a real uptick of interest in LGBT and HIV immigration rights," she said, "and that's a terrific development."

She noted that Out4Immigration helped sponsor the recent release of "Family, Unvalued," a report documenting the plight of bi-national gay couples. The report called on Congress to pass UAFA.

Ryan said Out4Immigration also champions UAFA through its grassroots advocacy efforts. Members receive comprehensive bill updates, and are encouraged to push UAFA among their congressional contingent.

"The strategy is to mobilize and empower people to connect with their congressional members," she said, "and be in connection with other immigration groups."

Out4Immigration Vice President Mickey Lim said such proactive efforts are essential.

"Part of our strategy is developing a network of supporters," he said, "so when the political winds do change, the groundwork will be there."

Lim, a 42-year-old gay man whose partner from Singapore is in the U.S. on a temporary work visa, said the upcoming elections could be a catalyst for change.

"You need to have simply a change from the Draconian leadership, where no ideas beyond their ideology gets any time whatsoever," Mickey said. "Once a crack in that wall of power occurs, I think at that point, there's hope."

Other people have endorsed the proactive approach to passing UAFA.

Retiring gay Congressman Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.), who is involved in a bi-national relationship, said in July that everyone who supports the proposed legislation must call on Congress to act.

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