BREAKING NEWS – by MELANIE NATHAN
commissionermnathan@gmail.com
Permission to copy and re-publish is granted; kindly give credit and link here,.
Today Senator Feinstein introduced a very rare private bill on behalf of Shirley Tan; Shirley will not have to leave the USA for now and hopefully never. The essence of its introduction is that Tan does not have to leave the USA on May 10th, in terms of the voluntary order issued by DHS. This enables her to stay in the USA, legally, until the private bill passes ( a rare occurrence)- and if it does not come up for a vote then she can stay for the duration of this Congress’s session, which has approximately a year and nine months left. However Shirley’s ultimate savior will be UAFA or the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (or SCOTUS invalidating DOMA) and nothing else!
This is unbelievably miraculous and indeed an extraordinary measure on behalf of the family. This also gives all our wonderful activists, LGBT organizations, and community supporters an opportunity to hit the streets, the phones, the faxes, the e-mails, the blogs etc. and to fight like crazy for the Uniting American families ACT (UAFA) – in truth the only real long term option for Shirley and the 40,000 other couples/families in this dire situation.
Hence the fight has truly just begun. We now have a face and a family to the desperate situation of all Bi-national families. With the make-up of this congress perhaps we do not need to hide for fear of the conservative wing Republican sabotage and filibuster.
A great big thanks from the Tan-Mercado family to Rep. Speier and her amazing staff as well as Sen. Feinstein and her staff, all of whom showed extraordinary solicitude and diligence through the process. A special mention to the organizations that provided guidance and support; Immigration Equality which provided a measure of advisory help after saying they were unable to help Shirley and after not believing that we could accomplish the introduction of a Private Bill. Out4 Immigration, and all the Media that remained so patient and supportive.
Senator Boxer is co- sponsoring UAFA and we now hope that Sen. Feinstein will do the same as many many others are in as bad a predicament as Shirley Tan has been.
When I spoke to Jay today she was crying with joy and said the whole family including the boys were absolutely overwhelmed with emotion. The news was conveyed to her directly by Senator Feinstein’s office. It has been a long and arduous process and so a very special thank you goes to Attorney Phyllis Beech, San Francisco and Fresno. I will write more later – but now I have to call and tell everyone the good news.
A great big thanks to all the offers of support and help – please join the fight for UAFA as there are many couples suffering the lack of rights. A special thanks to the straight Felipino Organizations and mainstream Press who came forward and recognized the importance of family and offered all out unconditional help for Shirley and Jay.
A very special thanks to Mike Swift at the Mercury News, San Jose,
Susan Young at PEOPLE MAGAZINE
CBS LOGO NEWS – Chagmion Antoine – for your fine piece.
Shirley and Jay and the Twins
Phyllis Beech- LAW OFFICES OF,
Molly McKay- MARRIAGE EQUALITY
CHRIS WADDLING – Marriage Equality
AMOS and Mickey Lin and Kathy Drasky – OUT 4IMMIGRATION
A visit to the White House and meeting Senator Feinstein.
O-blog-dee-o-blog-da 
This is so great! Shirley has been in my thoughts. It’s hard enough being denied our basic rights in the LGBT community…. But to be torn from your home and family…
One thing I’m not clear on… She gets to stay as long as we Do Not pass the UAFA? That doesn’t sound right… Isn’t the whole purpose of the UAFA to protect bi-national LGBT couples?
Maybe I was just reading the article wrong…. 😉
Thank you so much for all your support. I have updated the post to read clearer; I was so excited whn I wrote it that my hand was shaking… Melanie Nathan. nathan@privatecourts.com
Thanks again for your support; I have rewritten the post making it clearer. Please come back and visit my blog again.
Melanie
That is amazing news! Congratulations and happiness for you all. This was meant to be for this family,
Best
Carla
Okay, please revisit I have made the blog clearer.
http://www.loveexiles.org/jay_shirley_story.htm
Thanks Martha. from Melanie.
I’m so happy to hear this news!! I really hope the UAFA passes soon!!
Thanks so much for your support. Its a big celebration and at the same time highlights the plight of all the others. Keep visiting the blog tere will be lots of UAFA news here.
This is wonderful news! I want a private bill, too!
I am an American, last registered to vote in San Francisco, and I have a partner from Germany. As an EU citizen, he and I have decided to live in Amsterdam, the Netherlands for now. However, we both want to return to San Francisco, but we cannot because he cannot immigrate to the US based on our relationship!!!
Please do all possible to pass UAFA this 111th session of Congress!
Desperate to return home, but cannot due to discrimination!
James Ashburn
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
James please contact http://www.loveexile.org, Martha McDevitt Pugh and make sure she has your details and story; then please email me at nathan@privatecourts.com so I can put you on my lists. we have some ideas for UAFA where you can be helpful. Anyone else reasing this is encouraged to e-mail me as well. Thanks and please hang in tere because we ARE going to make it happen. mel
Fabulous! Way to go Melanie Nathan and the rest of you who stepped in to avert this near tragedy. Now let’s get UAFA passed.
Thanks Mike for your support and please keep visiting and in touch, melanie.
News results for shirley Tan deportation Feinstein intervenes to help lesbian mother threatened with … – 7 hours ago
Dianne Feinstein on Wednesday introduced special legislation in Congress that immediately stays Shirley Tan’s deportation order, and that if passed, …San Jose Mercury News – 106 related articles »
updated to include picture with senator Dianne Feinstein.
It is great for the family to stay and have a chance in life. Nevertheless Senator Feinstein is not for the american people. She has turned down any similar help on american descendant people on similar situations……….it says a lot about her patriotism and loive for what the US stands for………………