WASHINGTON — Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy is expected to introduce an amendment to immigration reform legislation next week that would extend rights to same-sex couples — a move that one crafter of the bill says will kill its chances of passing.
Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, will propose allowing foreign-born partners in same-sex relationships with Americans to apply for green cards, according to the prominent gay-rights group Immigration Equality. Currently, the rights apply only to foreign-born spouses of heterosexual couples.
“Senator Leahy has been a champion of the cause for over a decade,” Rachel Tiven, executive director of the group said yesterday.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), one of the “Gang of 8” bipartisan group of senators that crafted the immigration bill, contends that introducing the same-sex marriage issue into the fragile legislation giving a path to citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants would kill the bill — and cost his support.
“This immigration bill is difficult enough as it is,” Rubio said.
“If you inject something like this in the bill, it will die. The coalition behind it will fall apart.”
Asked about the possible Leahy provision yesterday, White House spokesman Jay Carney straddled the issue.
“We have said that we support that provision, but we also think it’s very important to recognize the overall bill here accomplishes what the president believes needs to be accomplished and is in keeping with his principles,” Carney said.