Anton Tanumihardja, the 45-year-old gay Indonesian native who U.S. immigration officials were going to deport on Valentine’s Day, has been granted an 11th hour reprieve while his appeal to have his stay extended is heard. That’s good news for Anton’s partner of seven months Brian Andersen, 28, who’s been thinking about his future with his partner: moving in together in Philadelphia, and maybe even marriage. But Anton’s residence in the U.S., where he’s lived since 2002, was thrown into turmoil when the Department of Immigration, Customs and Enforcement notified Anton he would be deported Feb. 14, despite an appeal filed in September that noted the oppression and violence gays were facing in his homeland, by citizens and government police forces alike. It’s unclear how much the couple’s campaigning to Sen. Bob Casey and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano helped secure a temporary extension from ICE, but it did mean the pair got to spend their first Valentine’s Day together.
asylum
Anton Tanumihardja Faced Deportation To Oppressive Indonesia On Valentine’s Day. There’s Good News
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Rick Gold
Jeesh!
Talk about fresh off the boat!
But then again, 7 months is like 4 years in gay.
TominDC
@Rick Gold:
“FOB”? Racist much?
HD Gay Vid
@Rick Gold: What?? im 2 years with my partner and it feels like .. 2 years đ
Mike
Can someone please explain to me how Indonesia is “oppressive”? There is no anti-gay legislation and it is a secular state (albeit with a predominantly Muslim population, similar to Christianity in the US). While laws might not be quite as progressive as the US, likewise US laws are nowhere near as progressive as Europe. By that measure, the US is oppressive. Please change US immigration laws, but don’t throw Indonesia under the bus. It is a great country that is progressing in its own right. I travel there every couple of months. Most in the US don’t know what they are missing.
Jon
Being a tourist and living there are two different things. I originally hail from Indonesia and it is very oppressive over there. When I told my family that I was gay, they responded by asking me whether I wanted to be a girl or something which is very ignorant (and we’re upper class over there) The media also portrays someone who is gay as being very flamboyant and girl-ish. I wouldn’t want to go and get deported back because I’d pretty much have to go back in the closet and fear for my life.