On Monday, a federal judge in San Francisco dropped a deportation case that could potentially separate a same-sex couple living in Cathedral City and married in Connecticut.  This is the second time Immigration and Customs Enforcement has decided to terminate a deportation case involving a same-sex couple.

The man involved in the case moved to the United States from Venezuela and his visa expired in 2009.  The Defense of Marriage Act prevents married, same-sex couples from receiving marriage visas.  As a result, the couple worried that if they could not renew the man’s visa, he could be deported and their marriage would suffer.

Sources say that the judge’s ruling aligns with President Obama’s refusal to defend the DOMA because it is unconstitutional.  The couple says they are excited about the ruling, but hope that someday binational, same-sex couples will be able to sponsor citizenship with marriage visas.

If you or someone you love is seeking assistance with applying for a marriage visa, contact the Orange County marriage visa attorneys of Garg & Associates, P.C. at 800-242-2151 to learn more about the process of applying for a marriage visa.

Earlier this month, an Orange County couple and their daughter were arrested after they were caught arranging fake marriages for more than 20 people seeking K-3 marriage visas and green cards.  The family ran a fake immigration services company called MPEagle Consultants in Cerritos and charged up to $60,000 per marriage in the scheme.

Immigrations officers became aware of the scheme after noticing the family had listed the same U.S. citizens as spouses and the same witnesses on around 21 green card applications.  The family is said to have bribed homeless and low-income citizens with $2,000 to enter into the fake marriages.  However, most of these people were never actually paid by the family.

If you or someone you know is looking to obtain a marriage visa, you will need the help of an experienced immigration attorney.  Contact the Orange County marriage visa lawyers of Garg & Associates P.C. at 949-540-6704 to learn more about the visa application process.