Minutes After Supreme Court Strikes Down DOMA, Immigration Judge Stops Deportation Of Married Gay Man

[NY_BX 397]

Minutes After Supreme Court Strikes Down DOMA, Immigration Judge Stops Deportation Of Married Gay Man

By Esther Yu-Hsi Lee on Jun 26, 2013 at 1:15 pm

http://thinkprogress.org/immigration/2013/06/26/2220411/doma-immigration-judge-stops-deportation/?mobile=nc

(Credit: stopthedeportations.com)

A New York City immigration judge immediately stopped the deportation proceedings of a gay Colombian man who is legally married to an American citizen soon after the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) for being unconstitutional, as was first reported by Americablog on Wednesday. The federally-sanctioned DOMA only recognizes marriage between a man and a woman, so Sean Brooks and his Colombian husband Steven’s marriage did not exist in the eyes of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Therefore, USCIS cancelled Steven’s green card petition.

(Credit: The DOMA Project)

The ordeal for the couple started in 2011 when Sean, the American citizen tried to file a green card petition for his husband based on their same-sex marriage. This left Steven in a visa limbo and vulnerable to deportation. Steven, who had not been back to Colombia for twelve years, applied to have his deportation cancelled based on the hardship that his deportation would incur on his spouse. The request was denied because federal law does not let the immigration judge recognize their marriage as valid.

As seen in the immediate cessation of Steve’s deportation, the ruling has a profound impact on the LGBT community, not least of which 24,700 other binational same-sex couples can now breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that they will not be torn away from the people their love. For a population of about 267,000 LGBT undocumented individuals, the Supreme Court ruling comes as a future goal post to look forward to now that federal laws has ended the discrimination against their love. It also will finally allow the federal government to treat all LGBT families equally by allowing them access to federal benefits and protections.

[Protocol417 161]

YES!

[RGinWA 816]

That's great for them and others heads will probably explode knowing love is allowed to be free among people.

How anyone could be upset is bizarre.

[NY_BX 397]

There is only one thing that should be common to every wedding, and that is an open bar.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

That's great for them and others heads will probably explode knowing love is allowed to be free among people.

How anyone could be upset is bizarre.

No I don't think it's "bizarre" why anyone could be upset. While I have no issue with this being repealed, they simply DO NOT have the staff necessary to process to influx of applications. I feel really sorry for anyone at the beginning of the process right now. Their timelines are about to get REALLY long.

And no, I'm not saying that DOMA should have stood just for the convenience of current petitioners, but it's simply an explanation for why some people MAY be upset that they will probably wait longer now. On the up side, jobs will probably be available at USCIS soon and hopefully i'll be a USC soon, wonder if I could do it from home

[Protocol417 161]

No I don't think it's "bizarre" why anyone could be upset. While I have no issue with this being repealed, they simply DO NOT have the staff necessary to process to influx of applications. I feel really sorry for anyone at the beginning of the process right now. Their timelines are about to get REALLY long.

And no, I'm not saying that DOMA should have stood just for the convenience of current petitioners, but it's simply an explanation for why some people MAY be upset that they will probably wait longer now. On the up side, jobs will probably be available at USCIS soon and hopefully i'll be a USC soon, wonder if I could do it from home

Considering only 10% of the population at the highest estimate are homosexual, do you think the influx will really be that large?

I cannot imagine the level of selfishness it would take to be upset because you have a slight longer wait caused by people who've been waiting for ages finally being allowed to apply... and I'm a pretty selfish person.

[Ivy. 113]

We did not get our NOA 1 yet, but I am not worried about the influx and I am so happy DOMA is overruled.

Way to go, Supreme Court!

[TBoneTX 45,521]

*** Thread moved from Effects of Major FAMILY Changes forum to Politics & Religion forum -- topic is a court ruling with legal & political implications. ***

[MyLittlePony 340]

How about move these threads in the garbage can.

[Jawaree 718]

OOps there it is...when can baby daddys & mamas petition each other?

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Minutes After Supreme Court Strikes Down DOMA, Immigration Judge Stops Deportation Of Married Gay Man

By Esther Yu-Hsi Lee on Jun 26, 2013 at 1:15 pm

http://thinkprogress.org/immigration/2013/06/26/2220411/doma-immigration-judge-stops-deportation/?mobile=nc

(Credit: stopthedeportations.com)

A New York City immigration judge immediately stopped the deportation proceedings of a gay Colombian man who is legally married to an American citizen soon after the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) for being unconstitutional, as was first reported by Americablog on Wednesday. The federally-sanctioned DOMA only recognizes marriage between a man and a woman, so Sean Brooks and his Colombian husband Steven’s marriage did not exist in the eyes of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Therefore, USCIS cancelled Steven’s green card petition.

(Credit: The DOMA Project)

The ordeal for the couple started in 2011 when Sean, the American citizen tried to file a green card petition for his husband based on their same-sex marriage. This left Steven in a visa limbo and vulnerable to deportation. Steven, who had not been back to Colombia for twelve years, applied to have his deportation cancelled based on the hardship that his deportation would incur on his spouse. The request was denied because federal law does not let the immigration judge recognize their marriage as valid.

As seen in the immediate cessation of Steve’s deportation, the ruling has a profound impact on the LGBT community, not least of which 24,700 other binational same-sex couples can now breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that they will not be torn away from the people their love. For a population of about 267,000 LGBT undocumented individuals, the Supreme Court ruling comes as a future goal post to look forward to now that federal laws has ended the discrimination against their love. It also will finally allow the federal government to treat all LGBT families equally by allowing them access to federal benefits and protections.

He should have just entered thru Mexico like the other 12 million. They would be cool then

[decocker 7,198]

How about move these threads in the garbage can.

aw. is butthurt

[Protocol417 161]

aw. is butthurt

I have apparently hit my "quota" of upvotes for the day. Why there is a limit is beyond me, but consider your comment upvoted. +1!

[Darnell 8,478]

See? USCIS works super fast....

That's a 'same-week' fix for a 'same-sex' marriage.

Edited June 29, 2013 by Darnell

[Darnell 8,478]

There is only one thing that should be common to every wedding, and that is an open bar.

What? No la - must to have cake also - so that's 2 things.