Bill would give immigration rights to same-sex partners

By Kimberly Atkins Dolan Media Newswires BOSTON, MA -- Legislation that would allow American citizens to sponsor their same-sex ''permanent partners'' applying for legal residency has been filed in both houses of Congress. The Uniting American Families Act was introduced in the Senate (S.821) by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and in the House (H.R.1537) by Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y. The measure would add ''or permanent partner'' to sections of the Immigration and Naturalization Act that apply to legally married partners. The measure would also apply the same restrictions and penalties to same-sex permanent partners that are applied to opposite-sex married couples under the Act, including a prison term of up to five years and up to a $250,000 fine for entering into a fraudulent, permanent partnership for the purposes of obtaining a visa. It would also require same-sex couples to provide proof that they meet the definition of ''permanent partners'' as defined in the bill. ''A core tenet of our immigration policy is preserving family unity. Yet gay and lesbian Americans are still forced to choose between their country and being with those they love,'' said Leahy in a statement after the bill was introduced. ''No American should face such a choice.'' Roughly 25 countries allow one same-sex partner to sponsor the immigration process of the other. Entire contents copyrighted © 2011 by Dolan Media Company Published: Thu, May 12, 2011