President Obama’s Immigration Plan Includes Same-Sex Couples

President Barack Obama unveiled his plan for immigration reform today in Las Vegas, Nevada. In his speech, he stressed the need to “bring our legal immigration system into the 21st century” through smarter enforcement and pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

While President Obama stopped short of commenting on the fate of same-sex binational couples in his speech, his written proposal demonstrates the equality of LGBT families across the country. 

In a section entitled “Keeping Families Together,” the document “treats same-sex families as families by giving U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents the ability to seek a visa on the basis of a permanent relationship with a same-sex partner.”

President Obama’s inclusion of LGBT couples in his immigration proposal reflects an expanding view of “family values.” 

Though some define “family” in narrow, prescriptive terms, love and commitment are evident in many non-traditional families across the country. Believe Out Loud’s senior editor Alison Amyx explains: 

“Narrow definitions of ‘family’ exclude more than gay couples; they exclude single fathers, adopted children, divorced parents, childless couples, and siblings raising siblings. They claim that the love between these families isn’t good enough, pure enough, or strong enough to hold them together….Defining what families should be is pointless; our task is to uplift and support the families we see before us.”

Many LGBT activists are joining the fight for immigration reform. Several national LGBT organizations released a joint statement yesterday calling for a “humane and effective comprehensive immigration policy” that includes same-sex couples.

A plan excluding same-sex couples was introduced in the Senate on Monday, and it is unclear whether the President would sign this version of the bill.