This is nothing short of despicable

[dsc]

http://www.makebeatsnotbeatdowns.org/facts_new.html

Citing the Defense of Marriage Act, the Obama administration denied immigration benefits to a married gay couple from San Francisco and ordered the expulsion of a man who is the primary caregiver to his AIDS-afflicted spouse.

Bradford Wells, a U.S. citizen, and Anthony John Makk, a citizen of Australia, were married seven years ago in Massachusetts. They have lived together 19 years, mostly in an apartment in the Castro district. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services denied Makk's application to be considered for permanent residency as a spouse of an American citizen, citing the 1996 law that denies all federal benefits to same-sex couples.

The decision was issued July 26. Immigration Equality, a gay-rights group that is working with the couple, received the notice Friday and made it public Monday. Makk was ordered to depart the United States by Aug. 25. Makk is the sole caregiver for Wells, who has severe health problems.

"I'm married just like any other married person in this country," Wells said. "At this point, the government can come in and take my husband and deport him. It's infuriating. It's upsetting. I have no power, no right to keep my husband in this country. I love this country, I live here, I pay taxes and I have no right to share my home with the person I married."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/08/08/BAO71KKPEC.DTL#ixzz1UZzjt6Zb

end of quote



During the entire term of Obama there were no deportations of straights whose spouses died before the 3 year period it takes for ICE to recognize that a marriage is for real. He did so for obvious reasons of compassion until Congress would change the law. For gays, it has been over two years and not a single intervention for a gay couple. Not one.

On edit my source for the notion that no such interventions have occured is Americablog. I can't prove a negative though so if the person below has a source I will retract.

[Skittles]

1. IT'S CHANGE WE CAN BEL.....er, never mind

it's just more homophobia

[beyurslf]

2. And yet another reason my vote is lost.

[babylonsister]

3. Not over yet: Pelosi is getting involved...

But immigration field agents and attorneys tasked with the actual removal of individuals who have been ordered to leave the U.S. have also recently been given updated guidance on prioritizing caseloads. It's possible that binational gay couples could be considered in several criteria for exercising discretion, including the “person's ties to the community” and “whether the person has a spouse, parent or child who is a U.S. citizen or green card holder," according to a June 17 memo from Immigration and Customs Enforcement director John Morton.

Drew Hammill, deputy press secretary for Rep. Nancy Pelosi, told the Chronicle that the House minority leader "will be working to exhaust all appropriate immigration remedies that are open to pursue."

more...

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/08/09/SF_Couple_Caught_in_Ongoing_Immigration_Rights_Battle/

[dsc]

4. Congresspeople have been helpful

Kerry saved one couple from this fate not too long ago.

[Webster Green]

5. Good.

I gotta wonder how many chimp-drones remain in these various agencies. Quite a lot, I think. Still there and still doing damage.

Not that Obama's people are any better, Holder being a prime example.

[roguevalley]

8. leave it to a woman to give a damn. Go, Nancy.

[dbackjon]

6. Where is our fierce advocate on this?

Oh yeah, helping get Mr. Makk kicked out of the country.

[Unvanguard]

7. There have actually been several temporary suspensions of deportations of same-sex spouses.

Some of which have cited either ICE's guidelines for discretion in enforcement or AG Holder's decision to vacate a Board of Immigration Appeals decision applying DOMA. It's no substitute for a moratorium, which there needs to be, but it's something.

Edit: http://www.advocate.com/printArticle.aspx?id=214552">Here is one prominent case.

[dsc]

9. kick