The State Department has updated its policy on granting visas to same-sex partners of diplomats serving in the United States. Starting now, unless those partners are married, they will not have the right to live with their partners in America.
The problem, of course, is that 88 percent of countries haven't legalized gay marriage. Because of that obstacle, the Obama administration agreed to let same-sex partners apply for visas anyway, but the Trump admin contends that those partners who want to stay can just get married in the U.S., or else they must leave the country before the year's end.
That plan just amplifies the problems, though. In many countries, it's a crime to marry someone of the same sex even in another country, so when they inevitably move home, they could be in serious trouble for marrying here. Also, how will future diplomats be able to bring their partners to get married if they can't get the visa necessary to come here in the first place?
This whole course of action just seems needlessly spiteful toward the LGBT community. We call on the State Department to reverse this decision and to keep the 105 such families that will be impacted by this decision intact.
