With over a quarter of a million people in the U.S. who are both LGBT and undocumented, immigration reform that offers a path to earned citizenship to the undocumented would be a monumental achievement in the fight for LGBT equality. Citizenship would mean better wages, greater employment security, and increased access to social services for a population that exists at intersection of two already marginalized populations — the LGBT population and the undocumented population.
A recent analysis by the Williams Institute found that there were at least 267,000 LGBT undocumented people in the United States today. Today, the Center for American Progress released a video highlighting the human stories behind the 267,000 people in the United States that are both LGBT and undocumented:
Progress is being made on Capitol Hill toward advancing a bipartisan bill that would lift 11.1 million undocumented immigrants out of the shadows. Right now, we need LGBT voices to come out in support for immigration reform to build on this momentum. In advance of next week’s march for immigration reform in Washington, DC on April 10th, LGBT advocates and allies are hoping to gather at least 267,000 supporters — one for every undocumented LGBT adult living in the U.S. A new petition pledge is providing the opportunity for allies to demonstrate their solidarity.
To sign a pledge and come #out4citizenship, visit www.out4citizenship.org and show support for immigration reform that offers citizenship to the undocumented, whether they are LGBT or not.