Congress
introduces pro-gay immigration bill

A group of lawmakers in the U.S. Senate and House on Tuesday introduced the Uniting American Families Act, a bill that would treat same-sex couples the same as straight couples for the purposes of immigration. The bill was introduced by Vermont senator Pat Leahy and New York representative Jerrold Nadler. "Our nation should bring families together, not tear them apart," said Joe Solmonese, president of the gay rights group Human Rights Campaign. "Same-sex binational couples are often forced to separate because the government views them as strangers under the law." Added Adam Francoeur, program coordinator of Immigration Equality: "The 2000 Census reports nearly 36,000 couples living in same-sex binational couples in the U.S. The Uniting American Families Act upholds the stated principle within U.S. immigration policy to promote family unification. We applaud Senator Leahy and Congressman Nadler for including LGBT families within that principle." At least 16 countries recognize same-sex couples for the purposes of immigration: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Israel, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. (AP)