WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) spoke out again against the lack of protections for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community within the comprehensive immigration reform proposals currently under consideration by Congress.
"I am extremely disappointed that my colleagues in the Senate are choosing not to extend the same rights and considerations to same-sex families that we give to any other family in our immigration system," said Rep. Quigley. "I'm reminded of Grant and Gabe, a Chicago couple who live everyday under a cloud of uncertainty because discriminatory policies like the Defense of Marriage Act do not recognize their same-sex marriage. American entrepreneurs like Grant are forced to choose between building a business in the United States or building a family abroad. Professionals like Gabe are prevented from contributing to our economy because federal regulations treat same-sex relationships differently. America was built on fairness and justice, and I will continue to fight for comprehensive immigration reform with these same values."
Watch the video here: www.youtube.com/watch, to learn more about Grant and Gabe's story and Rep. Quigley's fight for immigration equality for the LGBT community. Transcript of the video is available below.
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05) lends his support to the NOH8 Campaign for LGBT equality. (Photo credit: Adam Bouska/NOH8 Campaign)
As a member of the Congressional Equality Caucus, Rep. Quigley has been a tireless advocate for the LGBT community. He is a co-sponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act, which would ensure that all couples are treated fairly under federal law and helped lead efforts to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell. In 2011, Rep. Quigley hosted a DOMA field forum to investigate the negative impacts of the Defense of Marriage Act on individuals and families in Chicago andbrought the testimony of his constituents to Congress.
The following is a full transcript of Rep. Quigley's video:
Hi, I'm Congressman Mike Quigley and I'd like to take a minute to share the story of a wonderful couple I've had the pleasure of meeting, two of my constituents, Grant and Gabe.
Grant, a U.S. citizen, is a technology entrepreneur who founded a local business. Gabe is an architect from Brazil and educated in the U.S. They have been in a committed relationship for seven years now and look forward to the American dream we all share to build a loving home, to raise strong children and to grow old together.
But while their love for each other is strong, their future together is uncertain. Unlike other husbands, Grant cannot sponsor his spouse for a green card because the so-called Defense of Marriage Act doesn't allow recognition of their marriage. Gabe's ability to live securely in the United States is being held up because the federal government says their marriage is inferior.
Grant and Gabe's story is all too common. In Chicago and across the United States more than 32,000 committed families like theirs are living in doubt, unsure if they will be able to live here in the country they love with the spouse they love. American entrepreneurs like Grant are forced to choose between building a business in the United States or moving abroad to live with their spouse. Professionals like Gabe are prevented from contributing to our economy and starting a family because federal regulations treat same-sex relationships differently. This unequal treatment is harmful to these couples, who are all deeply in love and simply want to live together.
This discrimination cannot continue.
As a longtime supporter of the LGBT community, I've been taking steps in Congress to make sure all families are treated equally. I'm a proud co-sponsor of the Uniting American Families Act, which would end this form of discrimination in our immigration laws. This bill would ensure that every committed family is treated equally in the United States.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice." I look forward to the day when our immigration system treats every family with justice and equality. It's time we honor these American values and reform our immigration system so that Grant, Gabe and the thousands of American families like theirs receive the equal treatment they deserve.