International adoptees legally adopted by U.S. citizen parents now face serious obstacles as adults living in the U.S. without citizenship, including threat of deportation. Under current law, U.S. citizenship is not guaranteed for international adoptees born before 1983, or for those who entered the U.S. on a visa that did not provide automatic citizenship. More than 30 adoptees have already been deported to 18 different countries where they struggle with language and cultural barriers, finding employment, and being separated from loved ones.
The Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2019 will grant automatic citizenship to all qualifying international adoptees adopted by a U.S. citizen parent, regardless of the date the adoption was finalized or the entering visa. This legislation will also allow adult adoptees who have been deported the opportunity to return to the United States.
To build public support for the Adoptee Citizenship Act, Adoptees for Justice is leading a petition effort to call on Congress to SUPPORT the Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2019. NAKASEC is in full support of all intercountry adoptees, so we ask you all to please show your support by signing this petition today!
