Fight Over Same-Sex Couples Could Complicate Immigration Reform

The news that the Senate and the House both have bipartisan plans for immigration reform put politicians in an unusually optimistic mood on Monday, but it may not last long. President Obama will announce the details of his own plan on Tuesday in Las Vegas, and the Washington Post reports that he's taking a more liberal stance than the senators. One of the most significant areas of disagreement is likely to be how to address same-sex couples in which one partner is American and the other is foreign, and Obama is sticking by his inaugural pledge to ensure "our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law." While the proposal by a group of eight senators made no mention of the issue, sources say that Obama's plan will allow LGBT Americans to confer citizenship on their partner — which they can't do now, even if they're married.