Resolution supporting Board of Supervisor Resolution 196-01 and urging the California Congressional delegation to move towards the passage of the Permanent Partner Immigration Act.
WHEREAS, More than 50 percent of the one million U.S. permanent resident (Green Card) visas issues annually go to family members of U.S. Citizens and permanent residents; and
WHEREAS, The INS' current definition of family excludes same-sex partners; and
WHEREAS, The Permanent Partner Immigration Act currently pending in the U.S. Congress seeks to recognize the reality that lesbian and gay couples are deserving of the same basic immigration rights as heterosexuals; and
WHEREAS, Thirteen other countries currently allow the gay partners of their children to become permanent residents, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, and the United Kingdom; and
WHEREAS, San Francisco has taken the very important step of proclaiming itself a "City of Refuge" under city ordinance Chapter 12-H: and
WHEREAS, In the Spring of 2000, the Board of Supervisors voted to instruct City and County workers not to alert Immigration and Naturalization Service officials to partnered gay and lesbian foreigners living on expired U.S. visas; and
WHEREAS, The Permanent Partner Immigration Act is an appropriate next step toward establishing equality in immigration standards for gay men and lesbians;
WHEREAS, The Board of Supervisors has passed Resolution 196-01 last March 5, 2001 urging for the adoption of the Permanent Partner Immigration Act; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Immigrant Rights Commission of the City and County of San Francisco supports Board of Supervisors Resolution 196-01; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Immigrant Rights Commission of the City and County of San Francisco also urges the California Congressional delegation to move towards the passage of the "Permanent Partner Immigration Act" in the next Congressional session.
