To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate discrimination in the immigration laws by permitting permanent partners of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to obtain lawful permanent resident status in the same manner as spouses of citizens and lawful permanent residents and to penalize immigration fraud in connection with permanent partnerships.
Section 1. Short title; amendments to Immigration and Nationality Act; table of contents
(a) Short title–
This Act may be cited as the “Uniting American Families Act of 2013”.
(b) Amendments to–
Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Act, if an amendment or repeal is expressed as the amendment or repeal of a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to that section or provision in the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).
(c) Table of contents–
Sec. 1. Short title; amendments to Immigration and Nationality Act; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions of permanent partner and permanent partnership.
Sec. 3. Worldwide level of immigration.
Sec. 4. Numerical limitations on individual foreign states.
Sec. 5. Allocation of immigrant visas.
Sec. 6. Procedure for granting immigrant status.
Sec. 7. Annual admission of refugees and admission of emergency situation refugees.
Sec. 8. Asylum.
Sec. 9. Adjustment of status of refugees.
Sec. 10. Inadmissible aliens.
Sec. 11. Nonimmigrant status for permanent partners awaiting the availability of an immigrant visa.
Sec. 12. Conditional permanent resident status for certain alien spouses, permanent partners, and sons and daughters.
Sec. 13. Conditional permanent resident status for certain alien entrepreneurs, spouses, permanent partners, and children.
Sec. 14. Deportable aliens.
Sec. 15. Removal proceedings.
Sec. 16. Cancellation of removal; adjustment of status.
Sec. 17. Adjustment of status of nonimmigrant to that of person admitted for permanent residence.
Sec. 18. Application of criminal penalties for misrepresentation and concealment of facts regarding permanent partnerships.
Sec. 19. Requirements as to residence, good moral character, attachment to the principles of the Constitution.
Sec. 20. Naturalization for permanent partners of citizens.
Sec. 21. Application of family unity provisions to permanent partners of certain LIFE Act beneficiaries.
Sec. 22. Application to Cuban Adjustment Act.
Sec. 2. Definitions of permanent partner and permanent partnership
Section 101(a)(8 U.S.C. 1101(a) )is amended—
(1) in paragraph (15)(K)(ii), by inserting“or permanent partnership”after“marriage”; and (2) by adding at the end the following:
(52) The term permanent partner means an individual 18 years of age or older who— (A) is in a committed, intimate relationship with another individual 18 years of age or older in which both individuals intend a lifelong commitment; (B) is financially interdependent with that other individual; (C) is not married to, or in a permanent partnership with, any individual other than that other individual; (D) is unable to contract with that other individual a marriage cognizable under this Act; and (E) is not a first, second, or third degree blood relation of that other individual. (53) The term permanent partnership means the relationship that exists between 2 permanent partners..
Sec. 3. Worldwide level of immigration
Section 201(b)(2)(A)(i)(8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(2)(A)(i) )is amended—
(1) by striking“spouse”each place it appears and inserting“spouse or permanent partner”; (2) by striking“spouses”and inserting“spouse, permanent partner,”; (3) by inserting“(or, in the case of a permanent partnership, whose permanent partnership was not terminated)”after“was not legally separated from the citizen”; and (4) by striking“remarries.”and inserting“remarries or enters a permanent partnership with another person.”.
Sec. 4. Numerical limitations on individual foreign states
(a) Per country levels–
Section 202(a)(4)(8 U.S.C. 1152(a)(4) )is amended—
(1) in the paragraph heading, by inserting“, permanent partners,”after“spouses”; (2) in the heading of subparagraph (A), by inserting“, permanent partners,”after“spouses”; and (3) in the heading of subparagraph (C), by striking“and daughters”inserting“without permanent partners and unmarried daughters without permanent partners”.
