What the defeat of DOMA means for gay couples with foreign-born spouses

Protesters make themselves heard in front of Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-FL) office on May 22, 2013 in Doral, Florida. The protesters are asking Rubio to stop opposing the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) families in the Senate’s comprehensive immigration reform bill.

Yesterday's Supreme Court decision on the Defense of Marriage Act also had an effect on part of the immigration bill pertaining to whether gay U.S. citizens could petition citizenship for their foreign-born spouses.

Yesterday's Supreme Court decision on the Defense of Marriage Act also had an effect on part of the immigration bill pertaining to whether gay U.S. citizens could petition citizenship for their foreign-born spouses.

It was a contentious piece of the legislation, but with yesterday's ruling, gay married couples in twelve states and the District of Columbia now have a faster path to a green card. An estimated 36,000 same-sex couples could stand to benefit.

Here to explain is Ally Bolour, an immigration lawyer based in L.A.