Family unity has long been a driver of immigration and a cornerstone of our immigration system. Despite this prioritization of family, however, lengthy backlogs, inadequate country caps, and preference categories have meant that our immigration system often keeps families apart for decades.

Through pastoral care to members of our congregations and our ministry to resettle refugees, Episcopalians across the country bear daily witness to the profound joy of reunification for families long separated, as well as the devastation of families kept apart. This is why we welcome the changes in the immigration bill that offer significant streamlining and expediting of the reunification process for citizens and green-card holders that will allow many families to reunite without undue delay, a central tenant of the Alien Among You Resolution adopted by General Convention in 2006.

This understanding of the hardship families’ face under immigration law, however, is why we are gravely disappointed to see that even as many families are poised to experience the joy of reunification, there are families and family members who have been removed from or intentionally excluded from the family immigration system by this bill.

If this bill were to be made law today, U.S. citizens would lose the ability to sponsor a brother or sister or a married child above the age of 30, and the discrimination against same-sex partners and their families under immigration law would continue.

No reform of our immigration system can truly be called comprehensive unless it includes all immigrant families, including the families of same-sex spouses and partners, including our brothers and sisters, and including our adult children.

Ask your Senator to protect families today by supporting amendments that promote and protect every family’s right to unity.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

Read our statement to the House Judiciary in support of family unification as a cornerstone of our immigration system. 

Find our family immigration and all other immigration resolutions here. 

Stay connected through Twitter and Facebook!