President Obama to sign order barring discriminating against LGBTQ from Federal contractors
President Barack Obama is set to sign an executive order prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating against LGBTQ immigrants because of their identity.
While this is a good step for the LGBTQ community, the more than 267,000 LGBTQ-identified undocumented immigrants across the country still live in perpetual fear of deportation, something that in many cases can lead to persecution and even death.
Carlos Padilla, Program Coordinator of the Queer Undocumented Immigrant Project and LGBTQ Dreamer from Washington state, issued the following statement:
“President Obama has evolved on marriage equality, and he’s evolved on employment protections. Now, LGBTQ immigrants need him to evolve away from his inhumane policies of detention and deportations.
“LGBTQ immigrants, many of whom came to the US to escape life-threatening persecution for who they are, are regularly and senselessly being detained for months, or even years, in unsafe conditions, and it’s time the President address the issue of not only LGBTQ undocumented immigrants, but of the entire undocumented community as well.
“United We Dream remains committed to fighting for all families, and is demanding the President to build on successes like DACA, and not continue deporting 1,100 mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers every day, because we can’t wait any longer.”
United We Dream is the largest immigrant youth-led organization in the nation, a powerful nonpartisan network made up of 53 affiliate organizations in 26 states. UWD organizes and advocates for the dignity and fair treatment of immigrant youth and families, regardless of immigration status. We seek to address the inequities and obstacles faced by immigrant youth and believe that by empowering immigrant youth, we can advance the cause of the entire community—justice for all immigrants.
You can find more about UWD online at www.unitedwedream.org
