Statement from Immigration Equality
New York, NY — Immigration Equality calls on President Obama to ensure that his executive order on immigration is inclusive of LGBT immigrants and their families. The President's order focuses on keeping families together, but because U.S law has long refused to recognize LGBT families, a package that requires formal family ties will exclude many LGBT immigrants from relief.
[First-day coverage at www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/President-Obama-announces-immigration-accountability-executive-action/49724.html . ]
"We welcome the impact President Obama's order will have on millions of undocumented immigrants, including the 30,000 LGBT people who arrived as youths," said Caroline Dessert, Executive Director of Immigration Equality. "But we are deeply concerned that many LGBT immigrants will remain at risk of deportation to fundamentally unsafe places. We urge the President not to leave out these vulnerable LGBT immigrants. We urge the President to ensure that immigration laws recognize our families and protect LGBT immigrants from deportation to fundamentally unsafe places."
"This is a bittersweet moment for me," said Alejandro, a 38-year-old gay man originally from Mexico, who has called this country home for 16 years. "I am very happy for one half of my community and very sad for the other half. As a single gay man with no children, my ties to this country will not be recognized. I have roots in this country: I have my own business, I belong to a church, and I identify as American. Still, I will not qualify for the new protection from deportation. I know that President Obama can do better."
Immigration Equality will continue its advocacy efforts to ensure that immigration laws recognize LGBT families and protect LGBT immigrants from deportation to the more than 80 countries where it is a crime to be LGBT and the many more where it is fundamentally unsafe.
Statement from National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance
On Thursday Nov 20, President Obama, in an historic announcement of Executive Action regarding immigration reform, talked about how immigrants came to the United States to contribute to American's successes. "At the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance we know that LGBT immigrants, whether they are on a visa or undocumented, also contribute to the LGBT community's successes. The LGBT community is strengthened because of LGBT immigrants," said Aya Tasaki, an immigrant, law student, and NQAPIA Board Member.
"NQAPIA applauds the President's actions," said Pabitra Benjamin, NQAPIA Organizing Director. "It will grant administrative relief to millions of undocumented immigrants. The President's action will have tremendous impact on the lives of so many LGBT Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islanders through the expanded Deferred Action ( DACA ) Program; visas for workers in the Sciences, Technology, Engineering, and Math; and change in those prioritized for deportation. We know that so many LGBT AAPIs who are here on worker visas, entered as childhood arrivals, will benefit from these actions."
The elimination of Secure Communities, where local police are given the power to enforce complicated immigration laws, will curb some of the state violence that so many immigrants experience and fear.
However, these changes, within the limits of executive power are temporary and do not provide a path to citizenship. Additionally the continued focus on enforcement through the Priority Enforcement Program ( PEP ), increase in border security and renewed focus on 'terrorism' will still allow law enforcement agencies to cast a broad dragnet in criminalizing and profiling our communities. Now is the time for the Congress to turn away from partisan politicking, and focus on humane legislation that will give us true comprehensive Immigration reform,
LGBT AAPIs across the country have worked hard for the past several years to urge Congress to enact Comprehensive Immigration Reform and the President to take bold administrative action. We collected thousands of postcards, made hundreds of phone calls, met with lawmakers, and held demonstrations across the country. The President's action does not address every one of our issues but it is a major step in the right direction.
Over the coming months, NQAPIA will work with the administration through implementation and to address these issues for the LGBT AAPI community. We'll continue to press Congress to enact permanent, inclusive, and comprehensive immigration reform. For NQAPIA, no one can be left behind in reform.
"The devil, and our dignity, are often in the details," Benjamin concluded.
