Another family's woes

Another adoptive family screwed by the U.S. government: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-7928-Charlotte-International-Adoption-Examiner~y2009m8d9-CDC-rules-that-Scruggs-family-must-leave-adopted-daughter-in-China

This family just had to leave their adopted daughter in China and return home without her because she tested + for TB and has been receiving treatment for weeks. She is not contagious as children are too young to have had TB long enough to produce the phlegm-y stuff that passes the disease to others. Had they traveled a few weeks ago, before this new law passed on July 1st, they would be celebrating their new daughter's homecoming this weekend instead of contacting news agencies and law makers. They can try again in 2-4 months to bring her home.

The dad mentioned something very interesting to us on their blog. He said that the House of Reps is going to be considering the Foreign Adopted Children Equality (FACE) Act this fall. If it passes through all the red tape that I cannot even begin to imagine, this law would grant U.S. citizenship to all children adopted abroad by U.S. citizens upon finalization of adoption rather than when the airplane they are flying home in with their new parents touches down on U.S. soil. This would mean that Ali would have been a U.S. citizen since December 12, 2008 and seeing as how she has not broken any laws since then, she'd be allowed to go home to her country of citizenship without having to get an "orphan visa." I'm sure the U.S. Embassy would still try to fight it based on the fact that they do not believe the Guatemalans did their jobs correctly in processing this adoption, but luckily for us, they do not have jurisdiction over Guatemalan laws in Guatemala. This would also mean that any of our daughters could become president of the U.S.A. someday, a job that I would not wish on my worst enemy, but still makes it clear that adopted children would be granted the same rights as natural born children. THAT is important to parents of adopted kids. This FACE Act is important. Everyone can contact their congresspeople and push them to get the FACE Act passed. http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

The dad caught up in the TB mess pointed out this simple fact on his blog, "Adopted children should not be treated as immigrants or little adults. They are children." And ours are children of U.S. citizens and as such should be considered U.S. citizens with all rights given to them as such. The right to fly home with her parents being a basic one.