While residents here in Florida wait for the much anticipated immigration reform bill, other changes in the law have been peaking the attention of many immigrants in the state. This includes the two decisions recently made by the U.S. Supreme Court about same-sex marriages. In the Supreme Court’s ruling, the justices determined that the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutionally prohibited same-sex couples from receiving federal benefits. The court struck down the Clinton-era bill, finally allowing same-sex couples the same federal benefits that heterosexual couples enjoy.
The court’s decision is already having a huge impact on some couples here in Florida. Some of our readers may be familiar with the names Traian Popov and Julian Marsh. The two men are now being hailed by some media sources as the first same sex married couple here in Florida to get a green card after the DOMA decision. For the two men, this moment has been a long time coming—time that was spent worrying about whether Popov’s student visa would hold out until the court could decide.
While residents here in Florida wait for the much anticipated immigration reform bill, other changes in the law have been peaking the attention of many immigrants in the state. This includes the two decisions recently made by the U.S. Supreme Court about same-sex marriages. In the Supreme Court’s ruling, the justices determined that the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutionally prohibited same-sex couples from receiving federal benefits. The court struck down the Clinton-era bill, finally allowing same-sex couples the same federal benefits that heterosexual couples enjoy.
The court’s decision is already having a huge impact on some couples here in Florida. Some of our readers may be familiar with the names Traian Popov and Julian Marsh. The two men are now being hailed by some media sources as the first same sex married couple here in Florida to get a green card after the DOMA decision. For the two men, this moment has been a long time coming—time that was spent worrying about whether Popov’s student visa would hold out until the court could decide.
Source: ABC News, “First Green Card Approved for Same-Sex Couple,” Cristina Costantini, July 1, 2013
