"What it means is that the Attorney General has asked the Board of Immigration Appeals to look at the facts of this case as if DOMA were not a factor and decide whether a civil union could qualify someone as a sponsor [for their partner/spouse] under New Jersey and under immigration law," says Williams.

In other words, if you forget about DOMA for a second, is it possible that a civil union or a domestic partnership could meet the criteria for allowing someone to be a "qualified family member" who could then sponsor their partner or spouse for a green card.

"The wording is very carefully selected," says Williams, "but I read it to say, maybe we don't know yet what DOMA means here but let's look at this if DOMA were not a factor."

Williams said it appears as though the Attorney General is testing the waters here.