Should illegal immigrants be allowed to get married in the United States?

[tripp]

Kent County Clerk sued over failing to grant marriage licenses to illegal immigrants

GRAND RAPIDS -- Attorneys for two unnamed West Michigan couples were to file a class action lawsuit in federal court today, claiming the Kent County clerk is violating civil rights by not granting marriage licenses to illegal immigrants who don't have a Social Security number.

The suit, being filed in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids, says Clerk Mary Hollinrake is breaking state and federal laws by requiring people who apply for marriage licenses but don't have a Social Security number to prove they qualify for two specific exemptions.

It asks a judge to order her to stop and seeks monetary damages and attorney fees.

"This is contrary to the constitution of the United States and Michigan and discriminatory in that it has an effect of discriminating against a large group of the Hispanic community in Kent County," said Robert Alvarez, and attorney from Wyoming whose firm has partnered with a Southfield law office.

Alvarez said he is filing the suit on behalf of two local couples, who are using pseudonyms to protect their identity because two of the four people are here illegally and fear deportation.

The complaint identifies one couple as Juan Doe, a U.S. citizen, and Maria Doe, a citizen of Mexico who lives in Grand Rapids and is ineligible for a Social Security number. The couple -- who have lived together since 2005 and have two children -- say Hollinrake's office denied them a marriage license when Maria was unable to sign a sworn affidavit and provide documentation saying she was exempt from providing a Social Security number under one the two acceptable answers listed.

The second couple is identified as Andrea Doe, a U.S. citizen who lives in Wyoming, and Noe Doe, a Mexican citizen who lives in Grand Rapids and is ineligible for a Social Security number. The couple have been together since 2000 and had to cancel plans to be married at a local church after being denied a marriage license.

The suit says Andrea Doe spoke directly with Hollinrake to explain that her fiance, Noe, did not have a Social Security number because of his lack of legal status and was told that was not a sufficient "legal reason" to qualify for an exemption.

When reached Tuesday, Hollinrake said she could not specifically comment on the lawsuit because she had not seen a copy of it. She said her policy is based on federal law, which says each state must require county clerks to collect Social Security numbers on marriage license applications.

County clerks have been collecting the numbers since 2005, when the federal government decided to enforce a little-known law that requires it on marriage license applications in case they are needed to collect child support payments.

Hollinrake's office -- and others throughout the state -- require applicants without a Social Security number to sign a document swearing they do not possess one.

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/03/kent_county_clerk_sued_over_fa.html

[jamilah38]

Not without a marriage license which requires a document that tells us they are residents.

[bocley]

Illegal alien racist MESSYcan la raza nazi invading border criminals should not be allowed to do anything except get DEPORTED NOW.

[hackett]

The U.S should close the border before the United States turns into the same exact place as mexico. It is already happening in some places.

[emek]

NO, they should be jailed for aiding illegals.

[taillefer]

Absolutely NOT......why do we give these illegals rights in OUR country when they are NOT legal citizens of it. I'm sick of crap like this.

[gabrielo19]

They should not even BE HERE.

[osbourne]

Should they? NO

Are they: ALl too often

[aethelbert35]

No they should not be allowed to get married.First of all as an illegal immigrant you have no right to be in the country in the first place,so how can u marry if you have no legal status or the necessary legal documents.If these people want to marry USA residents,why dont they go back to their countries with their USA parrtners and get married there.They can then legally apply to go back to the USA and get their documents legalized.

[abisha]

If theyre illegal kick em out seems the usa and the uk are going soft on illegals i know the uk has signed up to the human rights which protects illegals and immigrants so soooner the uk gets rid of the human rights the sooner the uk can kick the immigrants out thats if any uk government has got the balls to do that .