I just received the following in an email from Immigration Equality, a U.S. based organization fighting for immigration rights for GLBT and HIV positive people:
Senator Chuck Schumer of New York has said he will introduce a comprehensive immigration reform bill early this year. A window is opening to pass UAFA. Please send a personalized appeal to your Senators to stand with our families at this critical moment.
Please take action now to contact your Senators to urge them to tell Schumer: comprehensive immigration reform is not comprehensive if it does not include UAFA and LGBT families!
Even if you have called and sent a letter before, please send one again! The time for members of Congress to hear that this is important to their constituents is NOW.
Step 1 - Write both of your Senators.
- Click here to send a letter to your Senators.
- Please, please customize and personalize your letters — especially if you are a New Yorker. A customized letter will have much, much greater weight.
- At the top, explain why inclusion of UAFA and lesbian and gay families in comprehensive immigration reform is so important to you, your family, friends, and community.
Step 2 – Call both of your Senators.
- After you send your letter, please also call your Senators’ offices.
- Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for your Senator (you can tell them your state and they can tell you who your Senators are).
- Tell your senator:
“Senator Schumer has said he will introduce a comprehensive immigration reform bill early this year. I urge Senator _______ [your Senator’s name] to tell Senator Schumer to support inclusion of gay and lesbian families and the Uniting American Families Act in his bill. Comprehensive immigration reform is not comprehensive unless it includes ALL families.”
NOTE: New Yorkers calling Senator Schumer should amend this script. Urge Senator Schumer to include gay and lesbian families and the Uniting American Families Act in his bill.
- Then call the Switchboard again and repeat with your other Senator.
I’ve written before about immigration reform. This legislation will allow GLBT Americans to sponsor their same-sex partners for permanent visas, the same way that married straight people can now. As one half of a binational lesbian couple, I strongly encourage all of our readers to take the few minutes necessary to reach out to their senators about the Uniting American Families Act.