AS
I
WATCHED
the
marches
in
Los
Angeles,
Phoenix,
Denver
and
New
York
of
immigrants
from
all
walks
of
life
stand
up
for
their
rights,
I
wondered:
Where
are
the
gay
marchers?
The
silence
of
the
lesbian,
gay,
bisexual
and
transgender
community
in
the
national
campaign
for
immigrants’
rights
has
been
disheartening.
We
have
something
to
say
about
the
struggle
for
equality.
Gay
men
and
lesbians
have
long
championed
that
justice
denied
for
one
is
justice
denied
for
all.
But
where
are
we
as
Congress
debates
the
fate
of
millions
of
immigrants
in
our
country?
Are
we
too
preoccupied
and
too
focused
only
with
marriage
equality
to
care
at
all?
I
hope
not.
The
draconian
bill
adopted
by
the
House
last
December
would
make
being
an
undocumented
immigrant
in
this
country
a
felony.
It
was
only
a
few
years
ago
that
half
the
states
criminalized
sexual
relations
between
same-sex
couples.
The
Supreme
Court’s
decision
striking
down
sodomy
laws
changed
all
that.
But
now
Congress
is
proposing
something
similar
for
another
group.
Can
we
stand
by
and
allow
this
to
go
unchallenged?
THE
HOUSE
BILL
makes
it
illegal
to
help
and
support
undocumented
immigrants.
It
penalizes
vulnerable
gay
and
HIV-positive
immigrants
and
binational
same-sex
couples.
The
bill
could
subject
to
criminal
prosecution
the
U.S.
citizens
who
love
and
care
for
their
undocumented
immigrant
partners,
along
with
certain
LGBT
groups,
HIV
health
care
providers,
churches
and
social
workers.
Yet
again,
to
love
would
be
criminal.
Countless
lesbians
and
gay
men
are
immigrants
themselves.
Immigrants’
rights
must
be
incorporated
into
the
struggle
for
queer
liberation.
Indeed,
we
have
similar
aspirations.
We
are
fighting
for
our
families.
Immigrants
are
fighting
for
policies
that
promote
family
reunification.
Immigrants
and
their
children
should
be
together.
Gays
are
fighting
for
the
support
and
recognition
of
our
families
as
well.
We
seek
the
right
to
marry
and
for
gay
parents
and
their
adoptive
children
to
also
be
together.
We
should
strengthen
and
expand
families,
not
tear
them
apart.
We
are
also
fighting
for
healthy
work
environments.
Immigrants
are
seeking
labor
protections
so
that
migrant
workers
and
other
immigrants
are
treated
with
dignity
and
respect.
And
we
seek
this
to
provide
for
our
families.
Our
families
may
encompass
our
domestic
partners,
our
children,
parents,
and
grandparents
or
other
family
members.
They
may
be
here
or
abroad.
IN
REACTION
TO
the
mass
protests,
the
Senate
Judiciary
Committee
adopted
a
bill
that
creates
a
path
to
legal
permanent
residency
and
ultimately
citizenship
for
certain
undocumented
workers
and
college
students.
It
provides
some
protections
for
migrant
workers.
It
addresses
the
extensive
backlogs
in
processing
visas
for
family
members
abroad
of
immigrants
living
in
the
U.S.
While
cautiously
applauded
by
advocates,
much
more
remains
to
be
done.
Congress
has
yet
to
address
the
detention
and
deportation
of
immigrants.
Congress
would
still
require
that
local
police
enforce
complicated
immigration
laws
and
allow
them
to
detain
those
whom
they
simply
believe
to
be
in
violation.
Gays
know
well
the
problems
with
police
misconduct
and
brutality,
particularly
those
of
color
and
gay
youth.
Congress
has
yet
to
allow
for
the
reunification
of
binational
same-sex
couples
and
ease
the
highly
restrictive
process
to
apply
for
political
asylum.
After
the
Judiciary
Committee
came
out
with
its
immigration
bill,
the
National
Gay
&
Lesbian
Task
Force
issued
a
statement
calling
for
comprehensive
immigration
reform.
The
Task
Force
called
the
House
bill
"mean-spirited
election-year
pandering
to
the
‘send
them
home’
crowd
and
scapegoating
of
yet
another
group
in
our
country
perceived
to
be
unpopular
and
powerless."
Those
who
despise
and
scapegoat
immigrants
have
no
love
for
gays,
either.
The
gay
rights
movement
needs
allies.
But
we
must
be
real
allies
to
others
as
well
and
rise
to
the
occasion.
Until
we
are
all
free,
none
of
us
are
free.
