There has been plenty of analysis of the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court striking down the Defense of Marriage Act, the federal law that stopped married same-sex partners from enjoying federal marriage benefits. But one overlooked aspect of DOMA's demise is the impact on immigrants, specifically on "binational" couples made up of one U.S. citizen and one non-citizen.
It's always been easier for an immigrant married to an opposite-sex American citizen to obtain a "green card" allowing permanent residency in the U.S. But now, according to Connecticut lawyers with immigration and LGBT practices, many same-sex couples are also taking advantage of their federally recognized marriage status and applying for green cards for the non-U.S. citizen partner.
