To: President Donald Trump
President Obama: Don't Discriminate Against LGBTQ Immigrants
LGBTQ immigrants could be left out of President Obama's recent executive order on immigration, since the requirements for eligibility are mostly configured around familial ties and employment -- two of the many areas in which LGBTQ people are unequal under the law. We need President Obama to expand deferred action for families of all shapes and sizes!
Why is this important?
The recent executive action on immigration taken by President Obama came as a result of tremendous effort by affected communities. More than four million undocumented people will be eligible for relief but the way it is structured disproportionately excludes LGBTQ people.
The President was not limited by law in the scope of his action. In fact, it was politics that guided his pen, as he calculated the safest level of risk, when what was needed was for him to show unflinching leadership to enact common sense reform. By expanding protection from deportation only to childhood arrivals and biological parents of U.S. citizen children and legal permanent residents the immigration action disproportionately excludes LGBTQ people.
Limiting those who deserve to live without fear only to childhood arrivals or biological parents of US Citizens (and legal permanent resident children) is an error that must be corrected.
Further, the executive action only recognizes certain types of families. Biological parenthood is not and should not be privileged as the sole relation that defines ties to this country. Undocumented LGBTQ people, through loving ties and chosen family, weave together relationships that should be honored, and community that makes up the fabric of this country too.
The President was not limited by law in the scope of his action. In fact, it was politics that guided his pen, as he calculated the safest level of risk, when what was needed was for him to show unflinching leadership to enact common sense reform. By expanding protection from deportation only to childhood arrivals and biological parents of U.S. citizen children and legal permanent residents the immigration action disproportionately excludes LGBTQ people.
Limiting those who deserve to live without fear only to childhood arrivals or biological parents of US Citizens (and legal permanent resident children) is an error that must be corrected.
Further, the executive action only recognizes certain types of families. Biological parenthood is not and should not be privileged as the sole relation that defines ties to this country. Undocumented LGBTQ people, through loving ties and chosen family, weave together relationships that should be honored, and community that makes up the fabric of this country too.