Marriage Equality Was Discussed in Crafting Senate Immigration Reform Bill

As I've posted on this blog a few days ago, the Supreme Court's decision in United States v. Windsor removed the last legal impediment to allowing same sex couples to apply for immigration benefits for the foreign born spouse.  The New Yorker reports that this topic was actually discussed during the negotiations of the Senate bill on immigration reform.

According to Ryan Linza, the Democrats in the Gang of Eight wanted to include a provision in the bill which would have given gay and lesbian couples the right to apply for immigration benefits.  The Republican members opposed the measure, with Senators Marco Rubio and Lindsey Graham threatening to withdraw support if the measure were added.

The Supreme Court's decision, however, has apparently made this debate moot.  Because the Federal Government cannot discriminate against those in lawful same sex marriages, that would seem to indicate that immigration benefits must be granted on equal footing.  Indeed, the Washington Blade reports that the Office of Personnel and Management has already laid out a plan to provide Federal benefits for Government employees in same sex marriages.

By:  William J. Kovatch, Jr.
(703) 837-8832
info@kovatchimmigrationlaw.com

Supreme Court Decision May Bring Changes to Immigration Law

Today, in the case of United States v. Windsor, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the holding of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit which found the Defense of Marriage Act to be unconstitutional.  The Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, provided that the Federal Government could not recognize same sex marriages as legal for the purposes of Federal law.

The case itself involved a lesbian couple, who at the time could not marry in their home state of New York (this has since changed as New York legalized same sex marriages).  The couple went to Ontario, Canada, where same sex marriage was legal, and wed.  The couple moved back to New York.  When one spouse died, the surviving spouse sought to take advantage of the marital deduction under the Federal Estate Tax.  This was prohibited under DOMA.  The surviving spouse sued, and won before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

In affirming the Second Circuit's decision, the Supreme Court first noted that the definition of who can get married has been an issue left to the several states.  When a state has chosen to recognize same sex marriages as legal, the effect of DOMA to prohibit Federal benefits to those married couples violated the Equal Protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.

The decision itself involves Federal Estate Tax law.  However, under the same logic, there is no reason why it cannot also be applied to U.S. immigration law. 

U.S. immigration law itself does not define "marriage" or "spouse."  However, several immigration benefits are open due to marriage.  Up until now, DOMA has been the main impediment to having the Federal Government grant those benefits to a foreign born spouse of a same sex marriage.

For example, the foreign born spouse of a U.S. citizen is considered to be an "immediate relative," and as such is entitled to an immigrant visa without waiting in line under the preference system.  With DOMA being found unconstitutional, a U.S. citizen should be able to file an I-130 visa petition on behalf of a same sex spouse, so long as the marriage itself is legal.

Also, in many instances, when a person is granted a visa, that person can obtain a visa for certain derivative beneficiaries.  A specialty worker with an H-1B visa, for example, can have a spouse receive a temporary visa as well.  Under the Windsor decision, that H-1B visa holder should be able to apply for a derivative visa for a same sex spouse so long as the marriage is legal.

The Obama Administration is very likely the best administration to test this theory.  In September of last year, the Administration announced that long-term same sex partners would be considered U.S. relatives for the purposes of granting some form of discretionary relief, such as deferred action or prosecutorial discretion.  With such a track record, it seems likely that the Administration would now look favorably on a visa petition filed by a U.S. citizen on behalf of a same sex spouse.

By:  William J. Kovatch, Jr.
(703) 837-8832
info@kovatchimmigrationlaw.com

Supreme Court May Rule on Whether Same-Sex Couples Can Enjoy the Same Immigration Benefits as Heterosexual Couples

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear two cases which could decide whether visas can be granted to foreign-born same-sex spouses.

Both cases involve the issue of same-sex marriages.  One stems from a California case where voters approved a ban to same-sex marriages.  The other is an appeal from a Second Circuit case which held that the Defense of Marriage Act was an unconstitutional violation of the Equal Protection Clause.

The Defense of Marriage Act prohibits the Federal Government from recognizing same-sex marriages for the purposes of federal law.  The Second Circuit case specifically addressed whether the surviving spouse of a legal lesbian marriage could claim the marital deduction in the federal estate tax.  However, because the Second Circuit found the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, it opened the door for same-sex couples to claim other federal benefits reserved for married couples.

One such benefit is the ability to petition for an immigrant visa for a foreign-born spouse.  U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents may petition for a visa for a foreign-born spouse.  To date, such visas were only available to heterosexual couples, even if the same-sex marriage was legally valid where is was concluded.  With many U.S. states legalizing same-sex marriages, a finding by the Supreme Court that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional may open the door from numerous same-sex couples to solidify a legal immigration status for a foreign-born spouse.

By: William J. Kovatch, Jr.
(703) 837-8832
info@kovatchimmigrationlaw.com