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December 21, 2001 INS Announces Suspension of Cambodian Adoptions and Offer of Parole in Certain Pending Cases WASHINGTON D.C. Expressing particular concern about the adoption process in two countries, Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Commissioner James Ziglar today announced an immediate suspension of the processing of adoption petitions in Cambodia and a review of the adoption process in Vietnam. This suspension does not affect the thirty-two families that the Department of State (DOS) has scheduled for visa appointments in January in Cambodia. INS responsibility to determine that a child is truly an orphan must never be tainted by any action that results in the exploitation of innocent children by separating them from their biological families as a result of fraud, trafficking in human beings or other criminal activity, said Commissioner Ziglar. Building on that commitment, the Commissioner announced a series of initiatives to improve and strengthen the integrity of the adoption program, as follows:
Thirteen families are currently involved in disputes over the validity of their orphan petitions with respect to children in Cambodia and Vietnam. These concerns were first identified by the U.S. embassy in Cambodia. The Commissioner announced that these families would be given the opportunity for parole into the United States of their prospective adoptive children, provided that they agree to certain conditions. The conditions offered are:
The suspension and the review I am announcing today will bring order to a troublesome situation. I have extended an offer to families caught in the middle while ensuring that the INS is not encouraging or perpetuating the stealing, selling or other exploitation of children, said Commissioner Ziglar. I would also like to take this opportunity to remind families considering adoption that there are many deserving children who are U.S. citizens that are in need of loving homes. -INS- |
Last Modified 02/20/2003