Deportation Threat Lifted For Dummerston Couple

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A married lesbian couple living in Dummerston threatened with being separated by federal immigration authorities has been granted a reprieve.

Japanese immigrant Takako Ueda and her American wife, Frances Herbert, got word Tuesday that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services decided to defer action on deportation proceedings against Ueda, whose visa had expired.

The bi-national couple have been together for more than a decade and were legally married in Vermont last year. But because the federal government does not recognize same-sex marriage, they didn’t have spousal status for immigration purposes.

Ueda and Herbert say they’re thrilled with the deferred-action decision, which was announced by Vermont’s congressional delegation.

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