Joe Biden has moved to correct a “great injustice” by pardoning thousands of US veterans convicted over six decades under a military law that banned gay sex.
The presidential proclamation, which comes during Pride month and an election year, allows LGBTQ+ service members convicted of crimes based solely on their sexual orientation to apply for a certificate of pardon that will help them receive withheld benefits.
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It grants clemency to service members convicted under Uniform Code of Military Justice article 125 – which criminalised sodomy, including between consenting adults – between 1951 and 2013, when it was rewritten by Congress.
That includes victims of the 1950s “lavender scare”, a witch-hunt in which many LGBTQ+ people employed by the federal government were viewed as security risks amid fears their sexual orientation made them vulnerable to blackmail. Thousands were investigated and fired or denied employment.
Just one thing. He only technically ended title 42 immigration restrictions. Effectively he continued Trump’s policies with his own, slightly different policy.
He repealed the Muslim ban on March 6, 2021. He overturned Title 42 on May 11, 2023. There were no Presidential border restrictions in place until recently. He spent that time pressing Congress to pass immigration reform and they failed. With sanctuary cities over capacity, and no federal funding, he needed to begin to restrict entry again.
Oh how I wish you were right.
13 May 2023, Guardian, “Title 42 migration restrictions have ended, but Biden’s new policy is tougher”
The upshot is they have to stay in the dangerous country and get approval via an app (that of course has trouble with facial recognition for BIPOC people) and a consulate visit before traveling. This is because if they go to another country for this process the government claims they found a safe country already.
And sanctuary cities are not “over capacity” nor are they even an official thing. The federal government does not recognize them. It’s a local decision to not cooperate with ICE. The entire idea that the country has a “capacity” is far right bullshit that goes straight back to 1800’s immigrant bashing.
Edit to add-
I especially love this bit, where we cap the number of people from infamously failed and violent countries. And require them to have a connect. Is having a president who doesn’t get sued by the ACLU for immigration too much to ask?