While Congress struggled in 2013 to enact just and meaningful reform, and the President is close to surpassing 2 million deportations, immigrants won victories in many states and many levels.
In no particular order:
1. The Supreme Court Strikes Down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act
Undoubtedly, the fall of DOMA’s Section 3 has brought much-needed relief among members of the LGBT community. While there is much more left to do in terms of winning rights for all members of the LGBT community, over 36,000 bi-national same-sex couples can finally live together without worrying about imminent family separation due to archaic U.S. immigration policies. With same-sex couples now scoring green cards throughout the country, and non-immigrants gaining the ability to finally bring their partners to the U.S., this is one giant step forward for immigrant rights.
Honorable mentions: The Supreme Court also struck down Arizona’s law requiring proof of citizenship to vote, and also provided relief from removal for many individuals who were charged for drug trafficking for mere possession of marijuana under state laws.
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