Social Issues

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Officials at the Washington Secretary of State's Office in Olympia, Wash., sort petitions June 6 for Referendum 74, which will provide for a public vote in November on whether to overturn a gay-marriage law passed by the Legislature. (Assocaited Press)

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**FILE** President Obama announces June 15, 2012, his administration's immigration plans in the Rose Garden of the White House. (Associated Press)

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Nick Thomas, 53, of Phoenix holds a sign thanking President Obama at the Arizona Democratic Party in Phoenix on June 15, 2012, after the president announced the easing of enforcement of immigration laws, effective immediately. The new policy offers a chance for hundreds of thousands of younger illegal immigrants to stay in the U.S. and work. (Associated Press/The Arizona Republic)

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President Obama responds on Friday, June 15, 2012, during a statement in the Rose Garden of the White House when he is interrupted while announcing that his administration will stop deporting and begin granting work permits to younger illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and have since led law-abiding lives. (Associated Press)

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**FILE** Students Maria Sofia (left) and Malendez Campos protest May 17, 2012, at a "Right to Dream" rally in Los Angeles. The demonstrators were protesting the deportation of illegal immigrants by the Obama Administration. (Associated Press)

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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, speaks June 12, 2012, to reporters on Capitol Hill following a political strategy session with other GOP Senate leaders. (Associated Press)

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From left: Students David Buenrostro, Adrian James, and Jahel Ramos protest June 14, 2012, outside the Obama campaign offices in Culver City, Calif. The students demand that President Obama issue an executive order to stop deportations of illegal immigrant students in favor of the DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors). In July 2011, California Gov. Brown enacted the California DREAM Act, giving illegal immigrant students access to private college scholarships for state schools. (Associated Press) **FILE**

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Political leaders in Washington such as Gov. Chris Gregoire have talked about how their views on gay marriage have changed. (Associated Press)

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Soldiers of different Afghan ethnic groups serve together at Chinari outpost, which was built on a hilltop after a police post at the base of the hill was destroyed by Taliban forces. (Associated Press)