Justice, sortof, for now.

by: Jeff Gardner

Fri May 06, 2011 at 04:43:28 PM EDT

Steven Goldstein to the crowd: THE DAYS WHEN DISCRIMINATION WAS TOLERATED ARE OVER!

For those of you wondering what happened at today's rally in Newark, here's the update:

Background: Henry Velandia and Josh Vandiver were married in Connecticut and now live in New Jersey. Vandiver has filed a petition seeking a marriage-based green card for Henry, who is originally from Venezuela. However, current U.S. law, which permits citizens to sponsor their opposite-sex spouses, does not afford same-sex couples that same right.

So, Henry faces deportation - essentially for being gay.

But, following an 11th-hour signal from Attorney General Eric Holder late yesterday, there was cause for hope going into today's rally and deportation hearing. Specifically, and in furtherance of the Obama Administration's shift against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), Holder vacated a Board of Immigration Appeals decision in another case involving a same-sex couple.

Today, a boisterous crowd gathered outside the Federal Building in Newark, to send a message that it's time to start treating same-sex couples as equals, and to end the discrimination against same-sex couples like Josh and Henry. And, shortly thereafter, the Immigration Judge in Newark "agreed to adjourn the case" til December of this year.

Happy ending?: So Henry gets to stay. For now. It's great personal news for this one couple. But, the idea that a lawfully married couple is still forced to endure the agony of wondering whether, and for how long, they will be allowed to remain together is hideous.

It's situations like this that I'm reminded of when people throw phrases around like "one-issue candidate" or "big picture" or "moderate republican." The continued discrimination against same-sex couples in America should no longer be acceptable. It's not okay. Case closed.