One aspect of immigration and its so-called reform that is rarely addressed in the mainstream media is how GBLT immigrants and their families are impacted. Certainly there are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender immigrants of varying statuses within the United States. Unfortunately all the immigration “reform” proposals on the Congressional table choose to be blind to that fact.

Under current U.S. immigration laws a same-sex partnership–even if the couple has been joined in a formal civil union or marriage ceremony–is not considered sufficient grounds for sponsorship.

The United States falls behind 19 other nations that recognize lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender relationships for the purposes of immigration.

So what’s a queer couple to do? According to various immigration advocacy and GLBT advocacy groups one of a few things happen.

Adam Francoeur, program coordinator at New York-based Immigration Equality, says this couple is among the lucky ones because they were able to find a way out of the immigration dilemma. “I have seen partners becoming undocumented because they couldn’t figure out a way to stay here legally,” he says. “I have seen couples go into debt and others just splitting up because of the stress.”

Some couples choose to simply leave the United States and settle in countries that recognize their relationships.

While there has been growing focus in the media on how current immigration laws threaten hetero families with children, there has been little coverage of how immigration laws also fail to protect GLBT families with children.

Via / Women’s e News