Adoptive parents assume many responsibilities upon the adoption of a child from another country. Of these, ensuring that the child is granted U.S. citizenship may be the most important. The gap left by the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, which did not provide citizenship for intercountry adoptee 18 and older on its effective date, February 27, 2001, along with the harsh and rigid requirements of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, have led to adoptee deportations, one of which resulted in the murder of the adoptee in his home country.
Lack of citizenship has left some Korean adoptees stateless, making it impossible for them to obtain tate and Federal aid for college and other services. Some have returned to Korea in the hope of resolving their statelessness, and in doing so unintentionally lose the possibility of U.S. citizenship while making themselves eligible for home country military and other service.
Korean Focus is speaking out on this issue through our petition for Citizenship for All US Intercountry Adoptees and our support for similar petitions. We encourage adoptive parents and adoptees to familiarize themselves with the laws around adoptee citizenship and illegal immigration. Above all, we urge adoptive parents and adoptees to confirm their children’s and their citizenship status immediately and to take action to protect their rights. The following documents will assist:
- US DoJ The Immigration of Adopted and Prospective Adoptive Children
- Child Citizenship Act of 2000
- Dual Korean Citizenship for Korean Adoptees
- Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996
- Ethica Guide to US Citizenship for Adult International Adoptees
- Adoptee Citizenship Factsheet
- Protecting the Rights of Intercountry Adoptees: Steps to Ensure the Right of Citizenship for Every Adopted Individual
