Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender immigrants face unique challenges that current federal laws and regulations do not adequately address because LGBT families are not recognized through federal law. Thousands of families are separated because of the inability of LGBT people to sponsor their partners and children for residency in the United States.

Pride At Work calls on the speedy passage of the United American Families Act (UAFA), The Uniting American Families Act is a bill that would provide a mechanism under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to allow U.S. citizens (USCs) and legal permanent residents (LPRs) in binational same-sex relationships to sponsor their foreign born partner for immigration benefits to the U.S.

One of the primary objectives of the INA is to encourage family unification. Like any other non-citizen, a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender individual may immigrate to the U.S. as the parent of a USC or the child or sibling of a USC or LPR. But being someone's parent, child, or sibling is an incident of birth beyond the individual's control. Thus, gay and lesbian immigration rights for same sex binational couples focuses on the spousal (partnership) relationship, which is the primary relationship adult individuals can enter voluntarily. Many adult gay and lesbian individuals fall in love with a foreign national of the same sex and seek to build a life and family with that individual. U.S. immigration law does not recognize same-sex relationships, however, and this discriminatory practice often forces the couple to separate or move abroad in order to stay together. The UAFA seeks to fulfill the promise of family unification in the U.S. immigration system by extending immigration eligibility to the foreign-born partners of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent resident partners.