New America Media

SAN FRANCISCO – May 15, 2008 will go down in history as the day that California corrected a tremendous injustice against its citizens in same-sex relationships. It is also the day when I had to explain ad nauseum why the ruling brought no relief to same-sex bi-national couples. We got our wedding cake, alright; we just can’t eat the immigration frosting.

Marriage laws in the United States are a layered affair. The base is what enables the cake to be served. This base is formed by state laws.

Each state in the country defines what a marriage is, and who can marry. This definition changes from state to state. This is true not only for opposite-sex couples, but more so for same-sex couples. We currently live in a state of chaos in which a few states grant marriage equality, others grant civil unions or domestic partnership, and still others ban gay marriage altogether. Trying to navigate this mess while traveling and moving cross-country feels like trying to cut a neat slice of cobbler crumble.

Last week, by granting full-fledged equality and justice to same-sex couples, the California Supreme Court baked a substantial base for couples building their lives together.

But the real topping on the equality cake for immigrants in same-sex relationships with an American or a permanent resident is missing. The missing ingredient is federal recognition.

READ MORE: http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=118144404692f5aa29a174af626dd113

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