Immigration Equality (IE) is the first and only organization in the United States dedicated exclusively to achieving full equality for LGBT and HIV-positive immigrants. Founded in 1994 as the Lesbian and Gay Immigration Rights Task Force, IE pioneered the field of LGBT/HIV immigration law and helped win major policy victories including ending the ban on immigration and travel for people with HIV. It plays two complementary roles—as lawyers providing free legal counsel to thousands of LGBT/HIV-positive immigrants each year, and as advocates pressing for policy changes to end the discrimination their clients face.
A group of friends who understand the realities of same-sex bi-national families hosted the event. Thanking the participants, IE supporter and event co-host Morris Floyd commented, “I know from talking to many of you that it’s unnecessary to reiterate the challenges bi-national couples experience — uncertainty, waiting, sometimes prohibitive legal expense, and rage about the injustice of immigration law.”
Co-host David Gunnell said, “I support Immigration Equality because it has already eased some challenges significantly by helping to reverse the ban on entry or immigration of people with HIV, and by providing pro-bono legal services that have won asylum claims and other immigration cases for hundreds of clients who could not otherwise have enjoyed effective advocacy.” He emphasized the hope that the event would be a first step toward a major Midwest presence for Immigration Equality, noting that the issues affect people all over the country and not just on the coasts.
Sandra Carter, owner of Taste Food & Wine on Chicago’s north side, worked with friends to host a performance of “Florence Nighinjail” at the shop on March 4. More than $700 in proceeds from ticket sales and contributions was presented at the fundraiser. Aimee Cousino commented on how few of performance attendees understood the difficulties that same sex bi-national face and how happy they were to offer support when it was explained.
Chris Pett, president of Dignity Chicago, pointed out that “injustice should always be a matter of concern for people of faith — and that’s how we have to characterize US immigration law, which creates innumerable hardships by separating families or making them find their way through a very narrow range of options to stay together in this country, often at substantial expense. Our call as people of faith is to continue to give witness to the truth of our relationships, and to challenge a system that works actively against justice and the common good.”
Fundraiser participants included representatives of bi-national families with partners from Aruba, Brazil, Canada, England, France, Germany and Scotland, among others. They enjoyed St. Patrick’s Day themed food and beverage, great conversation and networking.