A young man adopted from Korea when he was three-years-old is facing deportation due to his adoptive parents failing to apply for naturalization. He is awaiting deportation hearings in June. Meanwhile, two U.S. senators are sponsoring an amendment to the Child Citizenship Act of 2000. This amendment grants U.S. citizenship for international adoptees automatically. This would include retroactive citizenship to children such as the young adoptee who reached the age of 18 when this act first placed into law.
As do many immigration-related matters, it affects more than just the individual seeking citizenship. While involving possible immigration issues, international adoption also involves family law issues as well. This involves prospective parents attempting to create a family through the adoption process and raise the adopted child in America.
There are also humanitarian considerations as well regarding such legislation. Outside of being born in another country, the adoptee may have no familiarity with the language or customs of the country in which they were born. Deporting a child back to such a country means the child is facing completely unpredictable circumstances.
Family based immigration matters involve keeping the family together. Often such matters require quick action as the time to react to matters like deportations are short. It’s a benefit to have someone like an immigration attorney there to represent your interests and make certain there is protection of your rights. There are a number of required steps that could determine the result of such matters. Such matters are also too important to leave up to chance.
Hopefully, officials implement necessary legislation preventing unnecessary deportations from occurring in the future. We still will need to wait to find out the outcome of this young person’s chance of remaining in the U.S.
Source: NBC News, “Could This Amendment Save Adoptee Adam Crasper From Deportation?” Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, April 8, 2015