1/31/2013
Statement by Co-Founders Justin G. Nelson and Chance Mitchell
President Barack Obama made it clear at his inauguration that this nation’s journey is not complete until we are all equal. Indeed, we extend that meaning not just to our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) brothers and sisters, but also to the millions of undocumented people in this great nation. On behalf of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, we congratulate President Barack Obama on his proposed plan to reform immigration policy, which includes provisions for both business owners and for LGBT bi-national couples.
The NGLCC understands that the United States is a nation of entrepreneurs, and the health and strength of our economy depends on opening greenfield opportunities for innovators looking to start and sustain businesses within our borders. We call on Congress to work with President Obama and move forward meaningful reform to establish an efficient path to citizenship for all people, including LGBT bi-national families.
In addition to businesses, we cannot allow federal immigration laws to separate loved ones who are legally wed in this country. Nine states have made same-sex marriage legal, and we must recognize those couples that find themselves entangled in a system that does not recognize those vows. The NGLCC applauds President Obama’s plan for not only including LGBT binational couples, but also seeking to “eliminate backlogs in the family-sponsored immigration system.”
