Tag Archives: IMMIGRATION
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Why Obama has won on the Immigration EO

Republicans roll off the Hill, while Democrats traverse Mt. Everest By Melanie Nathan, February 17, 2015. Republicans would be calling the Judge who barred President Obama’s Immigration Executive Orders ‘an activist Judge’ – albeit tit-for-tat – indeed he may be – but did the Judge fall into a trap? Do we really think the appeals […]

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NQAPIA Announces New Executive Director

By Melanie Nathan, February 02, 2015. The Board of Directors of the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) is excited to announce that Glenn D. Magpantay is NQAPIA’s new Executive Director. Glenn has been with NQAPIA since the beginning, as one of the organization’s founders. Since 2009, he has served as NQAPIA’s Co-Director of […]

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Melanie Nathan, SF Pride Community Grand Marshal 2014 Contingent

LGBT Organizations Should Not Criticize Obama’s Immigration Move

A Statement on President Obama’s Immigration Announcement November 20, 2014, addressed to the  LGBT community of activists and organizations. By Melanie Nathan, of Private Courts, Inc. Conflict Resolution & Human Rights Advocacy [email protected] Dear LGBTI Activists, Advocates and Organizations, Now that the dust is settling I want to again applaud President Barack Obama for his […]

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Israel Includes Same-Sex Spouses under Law of Return Immigration

By Melanie Nathan, August 12 2014, Israel has decided that the law of return includes non-Jewish same sex spouses. Directly form the Haaretz report: The Law of Return, which gives Diaspora Jews and non-Jewish family members the right to immigrate to Israel, also applies to legally married same-sex spouses, Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Tuesday. […]

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Dangerous Costly Bed Quotas hurts LGBT Detainees

Center for American Progress  | RELEASE: New Analysis and Infographics Show the Dangerous and Costly Effects of Detainee Bed Quotas Washington, D.C. — New CAP analysis and infographics detail the dangerous and costly toll of the congressionally mandated bed quota on our immigration system. Beginning in 2009, Congress directed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, or […]

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Asylum Seekers Sue Obama Administration to End Unjust Long Waits

Department of Homeland Security Routinely Violates Laws Requiring Timely Reasonable Fear Interview Posted by Melanie Nathan April 17, 2014 A lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, alleging the government violated the law in thousands of cases, with individuals waiting in detention for many months for a ruling on their […]

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U.S.A. Perpetuates the Criminalization of LGBT Asylum Seekers

Shocking revelation as we in the U.S.A. further the persecution LGBT Asylum seekers through systematic recriminalization of those seeking to escape unjust criminalization! By Melanie Nathan, January 08, 2013. Seventy Six countries criminalize homosexuality. Most recently we have focused on, amongst others,  Russia, India, Uganda, Gambia, Cameroon, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Jamaica, Belize and Nigerian. We  are […]

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California Law Changes to Protect Immigrants

Community Forum to address how Marin County will respond to changes in Immigration Law By Melanie Nathan, January 02, 2014. San Rafael, CA –  A community forum will be held on Jan. 16 about the implications of the Trust Act, the recent change in California law that pertains to the rights of immigrants. About 80 […]

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100 arrested in mass civil disobedience action for Immigration Reform

We Belong Together and allies are turning up the heat in Washington DC! By Cathy Kristofferson, September 12, 2013 As I write this more than 100 women are being arrested in front of the House of Representatives in Washington D.C. They are part of a mass civil disobedience action calling on Congress to pass immigration reform that […]

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Cut from 50th Anniversary Dream Defenders want your 2 minutes

Our March Campaign Will Not Be Silenced By Cathy Kristofferson, August 30, 2013 At Wednesday’s 50th anniversary March on Washington celebration Dream Defender’s Philip Agnew and United We Dream’s Sofia Campos were denied their opportunity to speak at the last minute. The excuse given?  Officials said they had “run out of time.”  This follows the […]

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Challenging gay immigration entry bans in Belize and Trinidad and Tobago

By Cathy Kristofferson, July 15, 2013 Maurice Tomlinson, the Jamaican attorney and HIV activist who recently sued three Jamaican TV channels for refusing to broadcast gay positive public service announcements, will be in court again Wednesday. This time for the first hearing of his challenge to the immigration entry bans of both Belize and the Republic of […]

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DEAD WRONG LGBT Publisher Refuses to Tell Binational Story

We as a community cannot reject the most vulnerable amongst us | Binational same-sex couples have already paid the heaviest price By Melanie Nathan, May 28, 2013. I started my advocacy work and writing the stories about the horrendous plight of same-sex binational couples back in 2009, when faced with the possible deportation of my […]

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The Special Rights Battleground of ENDA and Immigration Reform

Seems to be exactly where the Religious Right is digging in these days. By Cathy Kristofferson, May 02, 2013. Two legislative initiatives now underway on Capital Hill greatly underscore the fact that it is the Religious Right who is seeking ‘special rights’ not the LGBT community, as we are so often accused.  The Comprehensive Immigration […]

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Activists ‘seeing red’ over HRC antics at SCOTUS hearings

as the Human Rights Campaign exhibits their typical lack of inclusivity… By Cathy Kristofferson, March 29, 2013. During the SCOTUS trials the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) convinced many in the Facebook world to change their avatars to red.  Following the hearings many activists are seeing a different red now that two incidents – insulting both the […]

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President Obama’s Immigration Reform Proposal Does Include Same Sex Couples

A path to citizenship for all, if Obama’s plan is followed and the  U.S. Congress includes binational same-sex couples. Posted by Melanie Nathan, Jan 29, 2013. Today, President Barack Obama announced his support for comprehensive immigration reform that would establish a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and make it possible for US citizens in […]

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Senator Arlen Specter Remembered by Lesbian Activist at hearings on UAFA

WATCH VIDEO – Senator Arlen Specter’s service included solicitude and action for same-sex couples denied green cards. By Melanie Nathan, October 15, 2012. It is with great sadness that I note the passing of Senator Arlen Spector of Pennsylvania today.  While I thought I could never forgive him for his interrogation of Anita Hill, I […]

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The Stories Of Shirley Tan and oter families

Immigration Equality Fails Binational Same-Sex Couples Again

Immigration Equality Seeks to blame Obama Administration for its own ineffectiveness and fainting mission By Melanie Nathan, February 23, 2012 Andrew Harmon at the Advocate reports that The Obama Administration held talks with LGBT groups on January 30, and the “big ask” was rejected.  “While the administration has taken affirmative steps in recent months to […]

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Deportation to Anti-Gay Uganda | Past and Future of Gay Detainee Joseph Bukombe

Editor’s Advocacy Note:   The Obama Administration has indicated via recent memo and speeches the strong support for International LGBT human rights. As an activist in this arena we implore upon the administration to not mince their words and to show action as well here on home turf!  That would include protecting asylum seekers such as […]

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Unprecedented Ruling on Immigrants’ Right | Freedom from Arbitrary Detention

Posted by Melanie Nathan, January 20, 2012 District Court Rules that “Arriving Aliens” May Not Be Subjected to Prolonged Detention Without a Hearing To Determine Whether Detention Is Justified SAN DIEGO — A district court today ruled that the Department of Homeland Security may not detain an immigrant for a prolonged period without proving that […]

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Binationals UAFA Died on June 4, 2009 – and now DOMA is Killing us!

I received a note via Face Book today containing this picture of a Binational separated from her spouse.  My anger was triggered and I ran to blame!  I blame Immigration Equality for the death of UAFA (Uniting American Families Act)! Now we must focus on the repeal of DOMA-  its too late for UAFA! Without […]

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The Apartheid State of Arizona – Precedent for LGBT Immigration Equality in California?

http://lezgetreal.com/?p=32025 Please Visit this Article on Blog at http://www.lezgetreal.com Example number 1:- I am a white US citizen – I was born in a foreign Country.  My work sends me to Arizona for a conference.  I have a profoundly different accent.  I walk into a store to purchase chewing gum. I ask the store clerk […]

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UAFA Hearings June 2009

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BiNational Petition:- Remedial Visa -Stop Gap- Pending Legislation

Special Visa Process & Moratorium: Same-Sex Partner Sponsorship

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ANOTHER American Exiled! – UAFA Now or 1,666 years of Stories-

This week a Plane is leaving for Taiwan and one more American is forced to leave the Country he loves so dearly, simply because the love of his life is ……….

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Shirley Tan Advocate Magazine’s Activist of the YEAR!

I am documenting this note in the hope that you will remember that Shirl and Jay are innocent bystanders who got caught up in a situation and have been inadvertent activists. If anything goes wrong it will not be for lack of trying on their behalf to help others. It would have been much easier for them to remain silent.

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Senator Gillibrand Tells LGBT audience to PUSH Reps for UAFA…. Must be passed by the Spring….

Today a Binational married lesbian couple (names private) attended Senator Gillibrand’s meet and greet at the LGBT Center in NYC. They went armed with a letter setting out their dire circumstances, including reference to the unconscionable detention suffered by one of the spouses.

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Breaking – President Clinton retracts on DOMA and its Impact on Immigration Equality

I predict more will come forward and if one looks at the tally, and I can report more later, it is apparent that some who have already in this short spate of time signed on RMA were not signed on to Uniting American Families Act, the immigration legislation. this is the uplift we need. Imagine if our in fact marriages were in fact recognized by the law – hence our relationships – at this level. DADT -ENDA-HATE CRIMES-UAFA- all will be psychologically rolled into this one BIG ENDORSEMENT!

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Shirley Tan -Jay Mercado and the Twins visit the White House

When all was lost and there was no “next step” for Shirley Tan, about to be deported  within mere weeks, Molly McKay of Marriage Equality called my office to see if I could be of assistance.   Unfortunately Shirley’s was a losing case and she was told that there was nothing anyone could do to help […]

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Ask your Congress Members to Redeem Themselves….

      This is what we need to see more of – We should urge all those who voted for DOMA to now co-sponsor its repeal under the new Respect for Marriage Act introduced this week by Rep. Jerrold Nadler.     Proudly changing my position on DOMA (Rep. Earl Blumenauer  By Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) […]

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Resolution in Support of UAFA moves through California Assembly –

California‘s Assembly has sent a message today – that it will accept no less than full immigration equality for its same-sex partners.   AJR 15 is a Resolution that expresses its support for the Federal bill, UAFA,  that places the words “permanent partner”  next to “souse” in the Immigration and Nationality Act, thereby giving gay and lesbianpartners […]

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