Current United States Immigration laws amount to a situation in which denies two people who love each other the right to exist together. This is not to discount the other 1,138 federal rights are also extremely important - but families who are torn apart face a far greater challenge than other same gender couples who do not receive legal recognition and benefits.

While strict constructionist conservatives may assert that “gay and lesbian people have the same rights as heterosexuals to also marry a member of the opposite sex” - their assertion, if legally tested, would be met with criminal penalties for marriage immigration fraud for a gay or lesbian person to marry and sponsor someone of the opposite sex.

Therefore they are wrong, Supreme Court Justice Scalia is wrong - wrong to the tune of “a $250,000.00 fine for immigration fraud, deportation and five years in prison” wrong. Not that very many gay and lesbian people have any sincere plans to marry the opposite sex, but here is where this supposed "gays have the same rights as heterosexuals to marry EVEN the opposite sex" anti-gay rhetoric also fails the legal litmus test. And I doubt that Scalia or anyone in the anti-gay crowd would stand behind their rhetorical argument, put their money where their mouth is and actually post bail for someone trying to prove their assertion.

Absent the provision for same-gender sponsorship, current immigration law establishes a second-class of American citizens who pay taxes, yet are stripped of any legal right to sponsor anyone of either gender.

To remedy this inequity, gay and lesbian people should either 1) be allowed to sponsor a same-gender partner, or 2) be allowed to enter sham marriages and sponsor an opposite-gender partner and granted both a green card and immunity from immigration marriage fraud prosecution. But there should not be special laws that are designed to deliberately fence all gays and lesbians out of the immigration process.

The anti-gay political rhetoric is that supposedly gays and lesbians “tear apart families”. The false notion that gays and lesbians hurt any family is rhetorical fearmongering agenda-based speculation rooted in political ideology. Government-imposed anti-gay discrimination and homophobia is what tears apart families, these situation are living proof of real families, real kids, in real communities - not phony rhetoric. If the supposed “family-values” conservatives are really pro-family and pro-child, then they need to set up to the plate, put their money where their mouth is, can the rhetoric, stick to their core values of marriage, families and children and stop forbidding and prohibiting other people to have families. But I expect most to continue to pipe out hot-air political rhetoric and abandon their core principles any way that they can justify their argument with guilt-by-association comparisons to the laundry list of irrelevant peripheral situations. The rest of us need to stand up and support these efforts to truly make CIR to be “comprehensive” for all couples, families and their children.

I am the American half of a bi-national couple. The toll current US laws have taken upon my partner and myself are immeasurable. We are forced to live apart and are unable to even visit one another in the States, we must maintain two households, engage in expensive travel (and forego medical treatments in order to travel) among other things. Neither of us can be there when the other is sick, experiences a loss, or just needs a shoulder to cry on. I do not see how, in any way, separating us or couples like us has any positive impact upon our society whatsoever. Please support the UAFA and allow us to be united.

I cannot understand why this does not simply make the case for UAFA as a Stand alone. How can such a powerful caucus not have the gumshen to get this through congress, on the basis of IN-EQUALITY and not on the basis of IMMIGRATION REFORM.

Why does each member of the caucus take one one other member of Congress and make a deal.

I do not understand why we are entering the complexity (or should I say why we have been cornered into it) of comprehensive immigration reform. Of course we should be included in CIR – but that ought to have been organic.

In the meantime these very congressional reps should have fought like crazy for us binationals and the egregious inequality we have suffered. This election year presents a missed opportunity which got us here. IE should have led us to a UAFA stand alone - but did not, veering off into the unknown abyss of immigration reform, within the context of a helathcare debacle and an election year??

So now that the Caucus is finally making the argument in such a forceful fashion, having been pushed by the fact that Schumer is planning to exclude us, I say get UAFA passed NOW.

This powerful Caucus ought to first attempt UAFA as a stand-alone in earnest. Before CIR is even announced. It can then be tacked on if need be. But please let us stop waiting for CIR- The argument for us is simple -E Q U A L I T Y first - immigration second.

The same people who told me that intro of a Private Bill was impossible for Shirley Tan are telling us that UAFA can never gain enough traction on its own, without CIR. I do not believe that - not until all the organizations take joint ownership of immigration equality reform. Steve IE must stop playing politics - leave that to the politicians - it is time to play aggrieved activist and work for an all inclusive civil rights movement. Melanie Nathan from www.lezgetreal.com ; binationals@privatecourts.com

E-Verify will not expedite the removal of illegal foreign labor across America? Nor will the local police 287 (G) federal training program to capture illegal immigrants around the country. Even the--TRUE--international fence that waits to be built correctly? Or any of the series of immigration enforcement laws designed for the SAVE ACT. But together, including the rescinding instant birthright laws to an illegal alien parent, can and will make a difference to our financial economy, that has been wrecked by unwelcome illegal labor and family members. Our government tells us their is a reduction in the unauthorized population that has settled here. But if the Tucson US Border Patrol agents express that for every--10--people who slip into America, only--ONE--gets apprehended. Or that there is no figure for illegal immigrants who have crept into our nation from Canada. Or having no true accounting of knowing who is departing by plane, ship, how many have ignored the expiration date on their entry visa?

Its all guesswork of how many of the population are here without "THE PEOPLE'S" permission. The government and open border cronies say numbers have dwindled to 10.5 million? But how can they agree on this exact number, when 1200 were detained from a clothing factory in California? Then we have 300 at a meat packing plant in Iowa? Now we have Koch food knowing hiring 161 foreign laborers and have been fined. Bear Stearns the now extinct financial house, estimated a number between 20 and 30 million. But whatever the number they still need to be removed? They broke our laws and therefore deserve not to be rewarded, Those politicians on either side who have pandered or taken money from open border lobbyists, should starting at mid-term election be ejected from office. We need to find fair lawmakers who believe in the working man and women first, not attributing to the businesses who buy their loyalty? Years have passed since true immigration enforcement and that was President Eisenhower in 1954, empowered the Immigration And Naturalization (INS) now remade as ICE to remove about one million illegal immigrants from the southwestern states.

Thousands left by their own accord, so as not to take the risk of being arrested and buses, trains and vehicles, hassled thousands back across the border. This proves it can be done? Then with a permanent, super-refined operation of E-VERIFY mandated throughout America--BY ATTRITION--can influence businesses to use it, or face serious consequences. Don't let open border pundits influence you that its full of errors. Visit the local Social Security office for work clearance. Opponents never explain in their diatribe, that this is a very easy solution. WE CAN WITH THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, OPEN UP JOBS FOR AMERICANS TAKEN BY ILLEGAL LABOR. WE CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER AMNESTY OR THE CONSEQUENCES OF MILLIONS OF MORE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ACCESSING GOVERNMENT ENTITLEMENTS. Learn what you can do at NUMBERSUSA & JUDICIALWATCH or call your federal representative at 202-224-3121. A good example of state politicians ignoring their commitment to their legal residents, is the near bankrupt state of the--SANCTUARY STATE of California.

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Corruption news:
Obama's budget allocates nearly $4 billion to ACORN, other radical groups
To add to the list of outrageous earmarks in Obama's fiscal 2011 budget, it appears left-wing activist groups including ACORN, the embezzlement-prone, voter-registration-fraud-plagued community organizing group, are eligible to receive up to $3.99 billion in taxpayer-backed slush money.