House LGBT Caucus Slams Trump Administration for Denying Visas to Same-Sex Partners of Diplomats
1727 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
Date: October 2, 2018 Contact: Roddy Flynn, (202) 226-7572
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
House LGBT Caucus Slams Trump Administration for Denying Visas to Same-Sex Partners of Diplomats
Washington, D.C. – The Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus today condemns the Trump Administration for denying visas to same-sex domestic partners of foreign diplomats and United Nations employees. The new policy – implemented Monday – requires that foreign domestic partners of diplomats and U.N. officials posted in the United States must show the State Department proof of marriage by December 31 or leave the country within 30 days.
“We are outraged by the Trump Administration’s cruel and discriminatory attack on LGBT foreign diplomats,” said LGBT Equality Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Mark Takano (CA-41). “With only 12 percent of U.N. member states allowing same-sex marriage, this new policy will impose undue hardships on foreign diplomat couples and their families. This policy will force LGBT diplomats from countries that criminalize same-sex marriages to make an impossible choice: formalize their relationship in a way that could result in incarceration, discrimination, or violence in their home countries, or forsake their relationship for their career. No person should ever have to make that choice. This policy is just another bigoted assault on the LGBT community by the Trump Administration We strongly urge the administration to reconsider this dangerous policy.”
Please contact Roddy Flynn at 202-257-8416 or roddy.flynn@mail.house.gov with press inquiries.
The mission of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus is to promote lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality. The bi-partisan, 122-member Caucus is strongly committed to achieving the full enjoyment of human rights for LGBT people in the U.S. and around the world. The Caucus is led by the six openly LGBT members of Congress who serve as CoChairs and who authorize the release of statements and Caucus positions.
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