DEPORTATION HALTED: "I Cannot Thank You Enough"

Via GetEQUAL.

In the shadows of the Statue of Liberty, we see glimpses of freedom.

Henry Velandia's deportation hearing ended a short time ago, and it was quite an event. Because of the pressure that you and thousands of other LGBT advocates across the country created, Henry's case was pushed back to December, opening up the possibility for tens of thousands of other same-sex binational couples to make a case to keep their families together, despite the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

Henry and his husband, Josh, are ecstatic that they have more time together, though the fight is certainly not over yet. This week, a wide range of LGBT organizations came together to support Henry and Josh, including Stop the Deportations, All Out, Courage Campaign, Garden State Equality, Out4Immigration, Princeton Equality Project, Immigration Equality, Marriage Equality USA, and Queer Rising. And Henry and Josh's lawyer, the tireless Lavi Soloway, was a force to be reckoned with.

We asked Lavi if he wanted to send along a message to you with an update about what this means for Josh and Henry, for other binational couples, for other LGBT Americans, and for the movement -- here's what he had to say:

"Today was a remarkable day. We're still in legal limbo with this case and with others, but http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifmomentum is on our side and the Administration is starting to look for ways to address the disparity in how the U.S. government treats binational same-sex couples. We have wind at our backs, but there are tens of thousand of couples who are facing similar circumstances. We'll fight as hard as we can in the courtroom, but we need activists and organizers to fight as hard as YOU can on the streets. For your work that led to today's outcome, I cannot thank you enough!"

-- Lavi Soloway, co-founder http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifof Immigration Equality and founder of StopTheDeportations.com

Today was a good day…and we don't always have a lot of good days. We'll continue to press the Obama Administration to create a permanent solution to this problem of immigration inequality, but we'll need more people like you in order to do that.

Can you forward this email to your friends, asking them to join the movement for full federal equality at www.getequal.org/join-the-movement

In the shadows of the Statue of Liberty today, we were not silent, and her poem held renewed meaning: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."

For equality,

-Heather Cronk, Managing Director

Note: Read today's New York Times coverage of this historic case, click here.

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!

URGENT ACTION: May 6 - Stop the Deporatation of Henry Velandia and All Spouses of LGBT Americans

Stop the Deportation of Henry Velandia and All Spouses of LGBT Americans, Friday, May 6, Newark, NJ

Out4Immigration urges everyone in the Newark, NJ area to come out to protest the deportation of Henry Velandia Friday, May 6 at 11am:

Department of Homeland Security/Newark Immigration Court – Peter Rodino Federal Building

970 Broad Street

Newark, New Jersey

Henry (shown here at the right) legally married Josh Vandiver (left), a US citizen in Connecticut last year. But because of DOMA our federal government does not recognize this marriage and is ready to deport Henry. This couple will literally be torn apart, Josh's husband taken from him and returned to his native Venezuela, banning them from being together again on U.S. soil for 10 years!

Sadly, Josh and Henry are not the only same-sex binational couple in this situation. We need to make our voices heard that separating loving and committed couples is unacceptable. President Obama and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano can stop these deportations while we continue to work to pass legislation like the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), inclusive Comprehensive Immigration Reform and repeal DOMA. More details on Friday's action are on Facebook.

Can't Get to Newark on May 6? Here's What You Can Do

Online activism: There are several online petitions targeting Obama, Napolitano and members of Congress. Sign Stop the Deportation of Henry Velandia; Sign Dear USCIS: Don't Go Back to Denying Green Cards to Loving Same-Sex Couples; Sign the weekly petition for Congressional and Executive Support of the Uniting American Families Act. After you sign each of these, please circulate them widely. Post them on your Facebook page, Tweet them, send them in an email to your friends and family and let them know we need everyone's support.

Be a spokesperson for change: Local news outlets are looking for the local angle on stories like the deportation of Henry Velandia. This is national news. Call or email your local newspaper, TV station or contact your favorite blogger. Tell them you are a same-sex binational couple and this affects you. Share this mailer with journalists you know and respect.

Tell your story: Our greatest tool are our stories. We will publish yours on the Out4Immigration blog and share it with our nearly 5,000 followers. By telling your story you raise awareness within the LGBT community, the immigrant rights' community and your community-at-large. When people realize that regardless of our commitment to our partners, that in spite of being legally married, in a civil union or a domestic partnership that we are still denied the right to live in our own country with the person we love, they work with us to help us break down the barriers that stand in our way. Stand up, speak out.

Follow Henry's case: Henry's deportation hearing is set for May 6. Follow Out4Immigration on Facebook and Twitter for the breaking news.