In a previous post, the issue came up of how same-sex couples whose marriage is recognized in other countries do not have immigration rights for the spouse in the US if one of them happens to be a US citizen. This is a consequence of the infamous Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 that was signed into law by Bill Clinton.

Now five couples are suing in federal court for equal treatment under immigration policies. Glenn Greenwald, who himself is in that same situation and lives in Brazil as a consequence, has a summary of the situation. It is an absolute scandal that two people cannot share their lives together just because they have a same sex marrriage.

Meanwhile, same sex couples are suing in Massachusetts to obtain federal marriage benefits that are currently denied them even though that state recognizes their marriage.

This is the kind of crazy contradictory situation that arises in times of change. I can’t wait for DOMA to be repealed and all discrimination against same sex couples to be abolished. It will come, the sooner the better.