Association of American Law Schools
2001 Annual Meeting
Wednesday, January 3, 2001 - Saturday, January 6, 2001
San Francisco, California
Friday, January 5, 2001
10:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m.

Continental Parlor 3
Hilton San Francisco and Towers
Ballroom Level


Joint Program of Sections on Gay and Lesbian Legal Issues and Immigration Law
Isabelle R. Gunning, Southwestern University, and Chair, Section on Gay and Lesbian Legal Issues
Margaret H. Taylor, Wake Forest University, and Chair, Section on Immigration Law

Respecting All Families; Responding to All Persecutions: Gays/ Lesbians/Bis/Transgenders Persons and Immigration and Refugee Laws

Moderator:

Kevin R. Johnson, University of California at Davis

Speakers:
Dusty Araujo, Asylum Program Coordinator, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, San Francisco, California
Richard A. Boswell, University of California, Hastings
Pamela Goldberg, City University of New York at Queens College
Francisco X. Valdes, University of Miami
James D. Wilets, Nova Southeastern University

This program will explore the issues arising in immigration and refugee laws as these legal paradigms begin to recognize gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender people. More countries around the world are addressing the human rights issue of allowing same sex families the same rights to unify through immigration laws. Even the United States has a new proposed bill, the Permanent Partners Act, which was introduced February 14, 2000, proposing just such respect for glbt families. These new laws and their interaction with "gay" marriages and marriage like institutions will be explored in this panel. Also the increasing recognition by different nations, including the United States, that persecution because of sexual orientation is cognizable under current refugee/asylee laws.

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