Bradford Wells and Anthony John Makk, a married gay San Francisco couple who were almost forced to split up last fall due to the threat of Makk's looming deportation, will be able to stay together for at least two more years. Makk, who is an Australian citizen, has been married to Wells, a U.S. citizen, for 19 years but was denied a green card under the Defense of Marriage Act.

With the help of Nancy Pelosi, Dianne Feinstein, and Sen. Mark Leno, Makk was awarded a “deferred action” by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on his case for two years. The deferral is also renewable and can likely be extended when it expires.

The action was granted because Makk meets several conditions under the agency’s new guidelines, including being Wells' primary caregiver — Wells suffers from AIDS-related illnesses, family ties, lack of criminal record, and his long period of legal residence under a series of visas that eventually expired.

There has reportedly been a shift in policy at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is now focusing on deporting immigrants with criminal backgrounds — not those who may have overstayed a visa. The change is meant to alleviate a backlog in immigration courts nationwide.

[SFGate]