A reprieve for a San Francisco man caring for his ill same-sex partner is giving hope to other gay, binational couples. The couple is legally married, but since the federal government doesn't recognize same-sex unions, the Australian man was denied a spousal visa.
"I love America and I love Americans," said Bradford Wells, after learning this week that his partner, Anthony John Makk, could stay in the country for at least two more years.
A policy introduced last year provides leniency toward immigrants facing deportation who have family ties, which included same-sex couples in the definition of family. Makk is the primary caregiver for his husband, who has AIDS and is a U.S. citizen.
Wells said that learning his partner was granted a stay in the deportation case is like winning the lottery. "I was thrilled, I was absolutely thrilled," he said in a telephone interview. "It just came out of nowhere and hit me like a really wonderful surprise."
This reprieve shows the administration is for real, said Rachel Tiven with the Washington D.C.-based Immigration Equality, the couple's legal counsel.