Information contained in this publication is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or opinion, nor is it a substitute for the professional judgment of an attorney.
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing regarding Sen. Patrick Leahy’s (D-VT) proposal to allow U.S. citizens and legal immigrants to seek residency for their same-sex partners. As reported by The New York Times, Sen. Leahy has said that his initiative, contained in the Uniting American Families Act (S. 424), should be included in any comprehensive immigration legislation that Congress considers.
Currently, family unification provisions allow American citizens and legal residents to petition for residency for their spouses. Same-sex couples, however, cannot petition for partners; as a result, immigrant partners are at risk of deportation. The Uniting American Families Act would add the term “permanent partner” to immigration law provisions that refer to married couples and would legally define that term. Opponents of Sen. Leahy’s proposal argue that it would facilitate immigration fraud because it would be difficult for immigration officers to determine whether same-sex couples actually had an established relationship.