Gay San Francisco couple wins deportation reprieve
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
Bradford Wells and Anthony John Makk, a bi-national, married gay couple who have lived most of the 19 years of their relationship in San Francisco’s Castro district, today won a two year stay against the threat of deportation, thanks to the personal intervention of their representative, House leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and state Sen. Mark Leno, a Democrat who represents parts of San Francisco, also provided assistance.
Makk is a citizen of Australia married to Wells, a U.S. citizen who suffers from AIDS-related illnesses. Makk is his primary caregiver. The couple was denied consideration of spousal immigration benefits by the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, known as DOMA, which bars all federal benefits to same-sex couples.
... U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued a letter to Makk today saying he has been granted “deferred action” on his case for two years. The letter said the action is “an exercise of prosecutorial discretion” that allows the agency not to pursue deportation for a specific period. Makk met multiple conditions of the agency’s new guidelines for immigration agents to prioritize deportation cases, including family ties, status as a primary caregiver, lack of criminal record and his long period of legal residence under a series of visas that eventually expired.
Pelosi broke the news to the couple herself today, and issued a statement calling the resolution of the case “a personal victory for Bradford and Anthony” that “keeps this loving couple together.” She said she would continue to fight for repeal of DOMA.
Read more: http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2012/01/04/gay-san-francisco-couple-wins-deportation-reprieve/?tsp=1
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