http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/06/181651039/some-democrats-back-same-sex-amendment-to-immigration-billAuthor: Brian Naylor Source: NPR News
Some democrats wants to add an amendment to the immigration bill that would allow same-sex married couples to qualify for green cards like heterosexual couples qualify for already. It is estimated that 35,000-40,000 gay and lesbian couples are affected.
" "As most people understand, when an American citizen marries a spouse from abroad, that spouse is then eligible for a green card here in the United States," Ralls says. "For gay and lesbian couples, that option is not available. Because of the Defense of Marriage Act, the federal government has been unable to confer immigration benefits to the partners of American citizens." "
Support is tenuous though, and Marco Rubio (R-FL) says that if this amendment becomes an issue, that it could cause doom for the entire immigration overhaul, which is going to be a very hard bill to work through as it is.
