Immigration Law

RELIGIOUS RIGHT LEADER APOLOGIZES OVER GAY IMMIGRATION RIGHTS REMARK

By Greg Siskind

As Congress gets closer to considering the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), some of the critics of the bill are getting nasty. The bill would allow gay couples to sponsor partners to immigrate as immediate relatives, just as married straight couples can. Sponsored by Jerry Nadler (D-NY) in the House and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the UAFA has been introduced several times over the last few years, but has not moved very far up the legislative ladder. But as more and more states are recognizing same sex marriages and civil unions and public recognition of the rights of same sex couples increases, the chances of UAFA's passage are improving.

A story on UAFA by a student journalist at the esteemed Northwestern University School of Journalism has created a stir because of an inflammatory statement made by Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council in his interview with reporter Sirena Rubinoff. Sprigg told Rubinoff

I would much prefer to export homosexuals from the United States than to import them into the United States because we believe homosexuality is destructive to society.

The story was picked up on the blog of the The Atlantic's Andrew Sullivan who linked to the blog of Chris Crain, a prominent DC journalist (who, incidentally, was a friend of mine in college).

Rachel Tiven, the director of Immigration Equality, a national human rights group advocating for same sex couple immigration rights, issued the following statement after Crain reported on the statement:

Unfortunately, the Family Research Council's preference to export lesbian, gay, bisexual and trangender (LGBT) Americans prevails. This policy continues to separate people who love each other, but of course Mr. Sprigg's group doesn't care about that. 

I hope, however, that the Family Research Council realizes that when we 'export homosexuals' we also export talented men and women who have made incredible contributions to this country and its economy - THAT is 'destructive to society'.   LGBT Americans who are forced into exile from this country are researchers for companies like GE and Pfizer, nurses in the Midwest, teachers in our inner cities and sons and daughters of aging parents who depend on them for care.

The Family Research Council might not care about our families but current immigration laws are 'destructive' to America and I hope that is something they do care about. 

Sullivan reports that Sprigg has now issued an apology over the export remark, though he re-stated FRC's opposition to the bill.

I've endorsed this bill several times in the past and urge Congress to ensure that America joins the 19 other highly developed countries which have passed similar legislation.

Full post as published by Greg Siskind's Blog on March 28, 2008 (boomark / email).