Immigration Law and HIV:
Same Sex Marriage and Green Cards
Immigration authorities announced Monday that foreign nationals who are married to U.S. citizens of the same sex may apply for spousal green cards and other benefits, but it remains to be seen whether the government will issue them. The applications will remain on hold until the agency receives guidance from the Department of Homeland Security. Rachel B. Tiven, executive director of the advocacy group Immigration Equality, declared that this statement “is the first domino to fall for LGBT Americans with foreign national spouses.” Read the article in the Washington Post.
Research demonstrates that people who are undocumented immigrants to the United States are less likely to access health care. In addition they are more likely to report negative experiences when compared to their documented counterparts. Find the full text PDF of the 2007 study from the Archives of Internal Medicine here.
We know that health care access is critical in the treatment of HIV and also in reducing HIV infections.
A study by the Emory University (2009) shows that areas with an increased tolerance for gays and lesbians also experience a statistically significant drop in HIV.
Find the full PDF of the Emory University study findings here.
