Immigration Equality Lesbian and Gay Immigration Rights Task Force/LA c/o L.A Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center/Legal Services Department 1625 North Schrader Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028-9998 (vox) 213-526-2915 (fax) 213-993-7699 (email) LGIRTF@abacus.oxy.edu http://www.qrd.org/qrd/www/orgs/lgirtf/la NEWSLETTER: January_1997_ I.E. COSPONSORS ATTORNEY PRESENTATIONS ON IMMIGRATION LAW CHANGES Immigration Equality and the Immigration Law Project of the L.A. G\&L Center are cosponsoring two presentations by volunteer atorney HELEN SKLAR on changes to U.S. immigration law which go into effect April 1. The free workshops will be on January 27 (in English) and February 6 (in Spanish ), beginning at 7pm both days. A partial listing of areas affectedby the new law are asylum applications, access to relief from deportation (suspension), and the ability to adjust legal immigration status. DIVERSITY VISA ``LOTTERY'' WORKSHOPS SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY The dates of the 1998 Green Card Lottery have been announced. The U.S. State Department reserves 55 000 permanent residence visas for eligible individuals who are born in or natives of countries other than high admission countries. The high admission countries are Canada, China (mainland & Taiwan), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Phillipines, Poland, South Korea, United Kingdom and Vietnam. People from these countries are not eligible to participate in the lottery. Workshops to assist in filling out DV98 application will be held at the LA G&L Center on three Wednesdays in February: in English (2/5 and 2/26) and in Spanish (2/19). All attendees must bring a 1-1/2 x 1-1/2 inch photograph to the workshop. Due to limited space, people must RSVP to either Immigration Equality at 213.526.2915 or the Immigration Law Project at 213.993.7670 x773. IMMIGRATION LAW PROJECT BEGINS MONTHLY NATURALIZATION APPLICATION ASSISTANCE WORKSHOPS In response the ongoing and escalating political attacks on immigrants there has been a surge in inquiries about the naturalization process, i.e. becoming a U.S. citizen. In cooperation with IE, the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center has begun monthly workshops to assist with completion of naturalization application forms. The first workshop is scheduled for Wednesday January 29 at 7pm. Due to limited space, you must call the Immigration Law Project at 213.993.7670 x773. SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IN HAWAII COMES CLOSER TO REALITY On December 10, 1996 Circuit Judge Kevin Change ruled that the state of Hawaii does not have a compelling state interest for refusing to give marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The state has appealed the ruling to the State Supreme Court, which will make the final ruling within a year. However, thanks to the Defense of Marriage act (DOMA), once couples can get married in Hawaii it will require further years of litigation before gays and lesbians will be able to sponsor their lovers for immigration purposes. I.E. SWITCHES TO BI-MONTHLY MEETING SCHEDULE Immigration Equality has decided to have meetings every other month instead of every month and to only have meetings when we have a speaker. There is also a steering committee to decide on speakers and events. The next regularly scheduled meeting of I.E. will be held in March, after all the workshops in January and February. The Steering Committee can be reached by email at lgirtf-la-sc@abacus.oxy.edu or phone at 213.526.2915. MANY IMMIGRATION RESOURCES AVAILABLE ON THE WEB The Lesbian and Gay Immigration Rights Task Force, our parent organization, has a new web site at http://www.lgirtf.org/ Also, the Immigration and Naturalization Service has a website at http://www.usdoj.gov/ins There is also a website devoted to Queer Immigration issues at http://www.qrd.org/qrd/www/world/immigration/