Remember that episode of Friends where the gang found out that Phoebe has a Canadian husband, whom she married simply so he could get his Green Card and stay in the U.S.? Well, while heterosexual couples are free to do that, one partner in a loving same-sex relationship currently cannot sponsor her/his foreign partner to stay in the United States.

Luckily, more than 100 lawmakers in the House and about 20 in the Senate have signed onto bills that would add the United States to the 19 countries that already recognize immigration benefits for same-sex couples.

The long-standing fight over the country's estimated 36,000 same sex couples of two nationalities is a small but emotional part of the debate over immigration reform. But including same-sex couples in the mix could make it harder to pass an immigration overhaul.

A key ally in past immigration fights, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said it would not support a measure that has a same-sex provision.

Writing to Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif., the organization said the provision would "erode the institution of marriage and family by according marriage-like immigration benefits to same sex relationships."

Erode the institution of marriage. Haven't heard that one before.