The U.S. Senate's vote today in favor of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief marked an important step toward lifting a 21-year bar to entry for foreigners who are HIV-positive.

"The Global Gays Initiative was unveiled Dec. 13 at a town-hall meeting at Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, to discuss issues and concerns related to the LGBT immigrant community. The forum, attended by over 50 people of diverse ethnic backgrounds, listened as Amigas Latinas co-founder Evette Cardona introduced a group of panelists who are directly affected, are advocates for immigrants or identify as allies."

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After losing his sister and his father, both killed by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, and receiving death threats and harassment for being gay, Colombian immigrant, J, won asylum in the United States. According to the Bay Area Reporter, the man's identity must remain confidential due to provisions related to asylum cases.

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