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Jul 14, 2011
Immigration officials have called off the deportation of a Venezuelan man who legally married his same-sex partner in the United States. Advocates hope the move will push the Obama administration to halt similar deportations and help repeal a federal law that recognizes only marriages between a man and a woman.
Henry Velandia, a 27-year-old professional salsa dancer from Caracas, asked to remain in the United States as the spouse of U.S. citizen Josh Vandiver, a 30-year-old graduate student at Princeton University. They were legally wed in Connecticut but live in New Jersey, where same-sex marriage is not legal.
“It’s an amazing relief to go from one day having your spouse being deported, to the next day looking forward to a life together as a married couple – building it, and planning it, just like any other married couple,” Vandiver said.
