A lesbian couple from Boulder in Colorado was given a green card on July 3rd by the United States Immigration and Citizenship Services, the DOMA Project says. The couple is one of the very first in the country to be given a green card based on marriage after the striking down of the Defense of Marriage Act by the Supreme Court on June 26th. The court determined that the federal government had to recognize same-sex couples who were legally married for all purposes, including immigration.
Irish citizen Cathy Davis married Catriona Dowling in Iowa last year, with the DOMA Project noting that the couple, who have three children, were at risk of being separated because of the laws denying bi-national couples who were same-sex the same rights as heterosexual couples. A hospital in San Antonio in Texas had previously issued Davis with a work visa, but the Immigration Service had denied a request to extend her visa.
“At 10:55 am we were called to the window,” Dowling says. “The officer at the other side of the window began to log our information into the computer when another officer appeared, introduced herself as the Supervisor, and declared that as of one minute ago Cathy’s green card had been approved.” Davis will also be able to apply for citizenship within three years.
Davis is the very first same-sex spouse in the United States to be given a green card, according to the DOMA Project.