June 2019

June 12, 2019. Senators Introduce Legislation Of Interest. We are please to see that a number of Senators have introduced bills which, if passed, will be of great benefit to the adoption and foster care communities. As we have previously mentioned, Senator Roy Blunt has introduced the Adoptee Citizenship Act which will grant citizenship to international adoptees whose adoptive parents failed to complete the necessary paperwork for their children to obtain citizenship. Senator Blunt has also introduced the Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act which would allow the adoptive parents who qualify for the adoption tax credit to take advantage of refundability provisions. Senator Casey has introduced legislation which would expand coverage for former Foster Youth as well as legislation to assist Grandfamilies and to improve access to vaccinations. We will post updates as available.

June 10, 2019. Department of State Warns About Haitian Issues. The State Department has advised members of the adoption community that there is a judicial strike in Haiti which will likely caused delays to adoption case processing. In addition, the DOS website warns of demonstrations and rock throwing incidents in Port-au-Prince. Any adoptive parent who is thinking of traveling to Haiti should consult with the adoption service provider as well as keep checking on the DOS travel advisory sides. More Information.

June 6, 2019. Important Article on State Department Policy Concerning Soft Referrals. Anyone interested in international adoption should read the latest article by Jayme Metzger in The Federalist. Metzger highlights the State Department's change in policy on "soft referrals," including the lawsuit filed on this topic by the National Council for Adoption. The Center for Adoption Policy has filed an amicus brief supporting NCFA. To read the article, please click here.

June 5, 2019. Who Can Adopt An Indian Child? The New York Times has done a lengthy article on the Brackeen case, where a non-Indian adoptive family challenged the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act, enacted in 1978, that governs the adoption of children who are members of federally registered tribes or are eligible for membership in federally registered tribes and have a birth parent who is a member of a registered tribe. The article addresses various the important issues involved in this case. To access the article, please click here.

June 4, 2019. Department of State Adoptions from Guyana. The Hague Intercountry Adoption Convention entered into force in Guyana on June 1. However, the State Department will not process adoptions from Guyana at this time because Guyana, according to DOS, has not yet enacted implementing legislation concerning its Central Authority. Families interested in adopting from Guyana cannot therefore at this time file Form I-800 Petition to Classify Convention Adoptees as an Immediate Relative. DOS does not know if Guyana will continue to process pipeline cases. Anyone interested or in the process of adoption from Guyana should check the linked notice and follow up with DOS. To read the notice, please click here.