Photo courtesy of GetEQUAL: Josh, left and Henry, right, in Newark, with Statue of Liberty in the background, shortly after Friday's hearing.
“We Are Headed Back to the Trenches” – Josh Vandiver, husband of Henry Velandia after last Friday’s temporary reprieve
By now you have heard the good news. In the deportation hearing heard ’round the world, Henry Velandia from Venezuela has been allowed to stay with his American husband Josh Vandiver, at least until December.
The Immigration Judge adjourned deportation proceedings against Henry on the grounds that the marriage-based green card petition filed by Josh was still pending and because of the potential implications of a move by Attorney General Eric Holder in a related case less than 24 hours earlier that may signal a shift in the Administration’s interpretation of the law as it concerns same-sex binational couples.
Out4Immigration was proud to work alongside such amazing activists from groups like GetEQUAL, Courage Campaign, AllOut, Marriage Equality USA, Garden State Equality and the attorney who is leading the fight for same-sex binationals and equal immigration rights, Lavi Soloway of Stop the Deportations. This exciting combination of grassroots talent plus the voices of more than 20,000+ of you who signed petitions directed to President Obama, the Department of Homeland Security and USCIS, called the office of Secretary Janet Napolitano and kept the story alive 24/7 online and in print has changed the game. The new strategy is to keep the pressure on from all sides – administrative, judicial and legislative. (Read more)
Kathy Drasky regularly writes about online culture. Her marketing and communications work with the ANZA Technology Network, Advance Global Australians and with various Australians and Australian enterprises has led to at least a dozen trips Down Under.
An accomplished digital photographer, her photos have appeared in 7×7 Magazine, the San Francisco Chronicle and Google Schmap.
