Democrats on Capitol Hill are urging President Barack Obama to take executive action to protect LGBT immigrants.
In a Sept. 29 letter to Obama, 44 Democratic members of the House of Representatives wrote that any forthcoming executive orders on immigration reform must take into account the “uniquely dangerous and difficult circumstances facing LGBT immigrants.”
Of the 267,000 LGBT immigrants living in the U.S. today, the letter states, many have fled countries where they faced threats and violence due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.
“These individuals are often seeking refuge from prejudice and persecution, but when they arrive in the United States, they encounter a complicated immigration system that can expose them to new risks and familial separation,” the letter states. “Same-sex couples, who lack the freedom to marry in most parts of the country and the world, are routinely separated; LGBT people face gender-based violence in detention; and individuals are deported back to countries where their sexual orientation or gender identity puts their lives in grave peril.”
Accordingly, the members of Congress write that deporting LGBT immigrants back to hostile countries is an “unconscionable practice” and that forcing them to return so to apply for permission to return with permanent status to the U.S. is unnecessary under current law.
The letter, which urges the Obama administration to focus enforcement efforts on those undocumented immigrants who have violent criminal records rather than those who do not, comes after the White House announced earlier this month that Obama would postpone executive action on immigration reform until after the midterm elections in November. In June, Obama promised to take executive action on immigration reform by the end of the summer after House Speaker John Boehner said the House would not take up the issue this year. Immigration reform has languished in the Republican-controlled House of Representative since the Senate approved an overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws 68-32 last year.
Over the course of the past year, Obama been more keen to use his pen to take executive action on issues that Congress will not act on, including LGBT issues. Earlier this summer, Obama signed a long-sought executive order prohibiting federal contractors from LGBT workplace discrimination. He also prohibited the federal government from discriminating against transgender federal employees.
In their Monday letter to Obama, which was led by Reps. Jared Polis (Colo.), Raul Grijalva (Ariz.), David Cicilline (R.I.) and Zoe Lofgren (Calif.), members of the House expressed disappointment in Obama’s delay, but wrote that they remain hopeful he will move swiftly to provide relief to LGBT immigrants. No Republicans signed the letter.
“We are dedicated to enacting legislation that fixes our broken immigration system and reflects our values as Americans and will continue to work with you and our colleagues to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill,” the letter states. “However, it is imperative that you use the tools at your disposal to ensure that families stay together, that immigrants are not put in harm’s way, and that LGBT people are not subjected, at the hands of the American government, to the dangers from which they have fled.”
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has signed a law allowing survivors of conversion therapy to sue for damages under the state's medical malpractice law.
Polis signed the bill on June 1, the first day of Pride Month, at The Center on Colfax, an LGBTQ community center in Denver, reports Colorado Newsline.
The Democratic governor also signed an executive order directing state agencies to ensure that no state funds are used to cover the cost of, or reimburse practitioners for, efforts to forcibly change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
"For me, politics is about how you can make people's lives better, how you can move us forward, how you can ensure that everyone can participate in our economy and that everyone in our society is treated fairly," says Democratic Congressman Chris Pappas, who is seeking his party's nomination to be New Hampshire's next U.S. senator.
"There have been a number of things I've been proud of during my time in Congress, but this is a time where we have to stand up, and reestablish checks and balances, and fix a broken system in a way where we can make good on the promise of America for everyone," he adds. "I feel really driven to win this tough race, and hopefully put our state and our country on a much better path for the future."
U.S. attitudes toward gay marriage, same-sex relations, and transgender identity have continued to decline after reaching peak levels several years ago, according to recent polling.
The backslide in terms of viewing LGBTQ issues in a favorable light has been driven largely by a decrease in pro-LGBTQ views among Republicans, according to Gallup, which surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. adults from May 1 to May 17, 2026.
Starting in 1996, Gallup has annually asked, as part of its Values and Beliefs Survey, whether Americans support same-sex marriage. In the first year, only 27% of U.S. adults said they supported it. That number gradually increased, with significant gains each year after 2010, peaking at 71% in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, support fell to 69% and has continued to decline ever since.
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
You must be logged in to post a comment.