Out4Immigration at Newark Rally for Josh and Henry

Out4Immigration volunteer Todd (Tif) Fernandez stepped up and joined the rally to stop the deportation of Henry Velandia in Newark on Friday morning, just an hour before the hearing. Todd spoke passionately on behalf of Out4Immigration and all same-sex binational couples.

Here's the text of his speech:

ON BEHALF OF OUT4IMMIGRATION – A GRASSROOTS ASSOCIATION OF SAME-SEX BI-NATIONAL COUPLES AROUND THE GLOBE – I AM HERE TODAY TO SAY WE STAND WITH YOU HENRY AND JOSH, DETERMINED TO SEE TRUE JUSTICE PREVAIL.

WE ALSO CALL UPON THE HONORABLE JUDGE TODAY TO HEAD THE HIGHER CALLING OF LOVE AND JUSTICE, AND FOR THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO CATEGORICALLY STOP THE DEPORTATIONS OF OUR SPOUSES AND PARTNERS UNTIL DOMA IS DEAD.

WE ALL KNOW THAT A POLITICALLY CHARGED CONGRESS PUT THE DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT ON THE BOOKS 15 YEARS AGO -- BUT THAT RECENTLY, BOTH THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND THE 1ST CIRCUIT OF THE JUDICIAL BRANCH HAVE DECLARED IT UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

THESE RECENT EVENTS AFFIRM WHAT WE’VE ALWAYS KNOWN: DOMA IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, DISCRIMINATORY, AND CRUEL.

BUT GIVEN THE LEGAL COMPLEXITIES, THE PRESIDENT AND HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY JANET NAPOLITANO HAVE A CHOICE TO MAKE - AND THAT CHOICE MUST BE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT GIVEN THE HUMAN LIVES INVOLVED.

THEY MUST REMEMBER THAT GOVERNMENTS ARE CREATED PRIMARILY TO PROTECT THEIR CITIZENS FROM HARM, YET THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE’RE EXPERIENCING IN AMERICA TODAY AS THE UNITED STATES PRACTICES THE DELIBERATE CRULTEY OF FORCIBLY SEPARATING LOVING, COMMITTED, AND NOW LEGALLY MARRIED SAME-SEX COUPLES.

AS THE GREAT TENNESSEE WILLIAMS SAID VIA HIS CHARACTER BLANCH DUBOIS: “DELIBERATE CRULETY IS NOT FORGIVABLE.” AND SO EACH TIME ONE OF OUR FAMILIES IS SEPARATED, IT PUTS AN IRREMOVABLE SCAR ON THIS COUNTRY’S HISTORY AND THIS PRESIDENT’S LEGACY.

AS WE SUFFER THIS INJUSTICE, WE MUST REMEMBER THAT THE PRINCIPLE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION IS FIRMLY EMBEDDED IN THE WORLD’S POLITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS.

INTERNATIONALLY, OVER 60 YEARS AGO WE LEAD THE WRITING OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, AND PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS PUSHED HARD TO ADD SEXUAL ORIENTATION TO THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS AGENDA, GOING SO FAR AS TO PRESURE FOREIGN COUNTRIES ON THEIR OWN DOMESTIC POLICY ON THIS ISSUE.

DOMESTICALLY, WE CREATED THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT IN 1964 – WHICH FOR DECADES HAS OUTLAWED DISCRIMINATION FOR EVERY MINORITY STATUS OUT THERE – RACE, COLOR, SEX, NATIONAL ORIGIN, RELIGION – ALL EXCEPT OURS.

CLEARLY THE QUESTION OF OUTLAWING DISCRIMINATION BASED ON STATUS IS SETTLED, AND NOW IT MUST ALSO BE SETTLED THAT THIS INCLUDES OUR SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND OUR GENDER IDENTITY.

THE ARC OF JUSTICE ON THIS FRONT IS NOT ONLY CLEAR – BUT IT HAS ARRIVED – AND IT IS TIME THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT ACTED ACCORDINGLY.

WE NEED THIS ADMINISTRATION TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS PIVOTED TO A NEW PRESUMPTION.

A PRESUMPTION AGAINST DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION IN ALL AREAS – REGARDLESS OF THE SUBJECT AREA.

A PRESUMPTION THAT BOLD ACTION IN OUR FAVOR IS RIGHT (LET THE OPPOSITION GO TO COURT FOR A CHANGE).

A PRESUMPTION THAT JUSTICE MEANS KEEPING OUR FAMILIES TOGETHER.

LET US NEVER FORGET THAT OUR HUMAN DIGNITY ENTITLES US – ENTITLES US - TO THE FULL PROTECTION OF OUR PRESIDENT AND GOVERNMENT - TODAY - AND NOT ONE DAY LATER.

ULTIMATELY THIS IS A HUMANITARIAN MATTER AND IF THE LAW IS IN THE WAY – THEN THE LAW BE DAMNED.

25 MILLION LGBT AMERICANS AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF BI-NATIONAL COUPLES SUFFER TREMENDOUS HARM EVERY DAY WAITING FOR THIS COUNTRY TO LIBERATE US FROM THE OPPRESSION IT HAS CREATED -- OPPRESSION LONG ABOLISHED BY LEADING HUMAN RIGHTS DEMOCRACIES AROUND THE GLOBE.

IT'S LET’S GET WITH IT AMERICA. EQUALITY NOW. JUSTICE TODAY. LOVE ALWAYS.

MR. PRESIDENT, I URGE YOU TO LOOK AT MICHELE TONIGHT, AND IMAGINE AN IMMIGRATION COURT TAKING HER AWAY FROM YOU. WHAT WOULD YOU DO THEN?

GOOD LUCK HENRY & JOSH. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS WONDERFUL GATHERING YOU ARE NOT ALONE. WE WISH YOU THE BEST. THANK YOU!