Should persons adopted from other countries be deported if they commit a crime?

niels

On any moral ground this is an outrage.

Since the Child Citizen Act (2000), international adoptees automatically receive US citizenship, though the law doesn't apply in retrospect to those adoptees adopted before 2000. So there are many, now adult, international adoptees who don't have American citizenship. To them the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act applies. This law implies deportation of non-citizens for criminal records where they are sentenced to 1 year or more of prison time.

There are several cases of adoptees facing or having faced deportation:

Aaron Billings (pending) see: http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/17385

Alehandro Ebron (pending) see: http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/17357

Christopher Clancy (status unknown) see: http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/17433

Dan Heiskala (pending) see: http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/17353

Jess Mustanich (deported) see: http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/17355

Joao Herbert (deported) see: http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/17356

John Gaul III (deported) see: http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/17358

Samuel Jonathon Schultz (pending) see: http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/17354

The case of Joao Herbert is especially tragic, after he was deported to Brazil, he was killed,

Mimi

I don't know about the legal aspect of this but personally, if someone does something criminal then they should be punished on the grounds where they committed it, albeit nationality/race.

Independ"ant"

This is another repercussion of the lax IA laws and regulations and ap's turning a blind eye.

Shall the Constitution be amended for ignorance and self centeredness as well, just like the term "orphan" has for people desperate for an IA baby.

I think if Ap's drop the ball on citizenship for these poor kids than they should be financially responsible if they are forced back to their mother country.

xsushi_nekox

No way! I read of a boy who stole from his afather's house. As a scare tactic his father called the police on him and pressed charges. In the end the boy was sent back to his birth country, where he didn't know a lick of spanish and struggles to get by. He may not even be able to get back into the country.

He wasn't a citizen because of many fast changing laws and it was never finalized. It's not something he should suffer for!

I take on a personal look to this question. Two weeks ago I was told I was not a citizen of the US. After 19 years of being here I was never confirmed to be a citizen! If I committed a crime I would have been deported. Luckily I was able to do everything to be a citizen now so I don't have to worry but still.. I can't speak spanish and I never want to go back to my country, I just wouldn't survive.

Randy B

Sad and I believe that each case should be looked upon on it's merits. The unfortunite part is that if any member of her family had taken the time to get her citizenship done it would not be an issue now. My daughter came home with us on a PGO through the Indian courts coincidently and the first thing we did before we even got her adopted was apply for her citizenship in the event that anything happened to my wife or I. We actually got that citizenship done before we were able to get the adoption processed. We figured that in that way, if something happened to my wife or I, my daughter could at least remain in the country and be adopted by one of our family members.

Goddess

I don't know about the legal part, but if she was adopted, I think she should stay where she's at and face the legal system in the country that she lives.

Hannah B

Of course not. They may have broken the law but they are American citizens with parents in America. They should be punished and re-habilitated in America.

Malibu Ken

What an awful story.

As a thief and meth-head, she deserves jail and treatment.

But not deportation...

Rainia W

Sounds weird to me... from what I understood if you adopted a child from another country, they weren't a permanent resident, they were legally American, so they wouldn't be deported. Hmmm....

Sophie

No. She was brought here legally; she didn't even have a say in the matter.

If she came here illegally of her own free will, then I would say she should be deported.

Adoptive parents need to make sure they file paperwork for their child to become a citizen ASAP, if required. I believe it depends on the visa your child came in on. This is how I remember it: IR-3, you're home free... IR-4, wait, there's more {necessary paperwork}.

I think the Citizenship Act only covers IR-3 visas.

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