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= Deportation of Korean Adoptees from the U.S. = Deportations of Korean adoptees from the U.S. are a not-so-common phenomenon, but have been cause for controversy over many years. Due to the institutional and parental failure to grant and apply for adopted children's citizenship South Koreans adopted by U.S. families prior to 1983 were left vulnerable to deportations, and suffered from lack of access to other resources American citizens have.

Adoption Laws in the United States
In the U.S., state legislatures and courts typically have jurisdiction over adoption policies, however, due to the increase in international adoptions, this had to be changed. Traditionally, adoptions had to be finalized in the state of residence of the adoptive parents, failing to recognize adoptions made abroad and not finalized in U.S. territory. Although states still hold exclusive authority over family law within their territory, the federal government, birth countries, and international law now play a role in the process of international adoption.

Apart from this change, the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 also improved the legalization process for adoptees, not only those from South Korea but to many other international adoptees. This Act allowed adoptees who were under the age of 18 years at the time of the Act to get automatic citizenship status in the U.S., however, those born prior to 1983 were left vulnerable to immigration laws since they were adults by the time of the Act.

The Adoptee Rights Campaign estimates that "112,000 Korean children were adopted by US citizens in the last 60 years." Out of these, 20% of adoptees who are now adults are living in the U.S. without citizenship, in danger of deportation.

Though previous adoption Acts allowed many international adoptees to gain citizenship, there are still many who could not benefit because of the age restrictions, such as was the case for adoptees who were adults by the time the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 was put into action. However, there is now a petition for The Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2019 to help those adults who were left vulnerable to deportations. According to the Adoptees for Justice website, " 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."

In addition, there are various city Resolutions being considered to be sent to Congress. One of the Resolutions includes the Ryu Resolution for Adoptee Citizenship introduced to the Los Angeles City Council by Councilmember Ryu. This Resolution "would automatically grant citizenship to those adopted by U.S. citizens as children."

Adoption Laws in South Korea
In 2012 South Korea signed the Hague Convention to minimize international adoptions and encourage in-state adoptions.

The Korean international adoption process is extensive, taking at least 18 months for non-Korean couples to finalize the adoption. There are various steps to adopting a Korean child internationally, the first being "Homestudy." This step involves a social workers looking into potential adoptive parents, this can last up 4 months. Once everything is set up, the legal process to adopt a child, the 4th step, can last anywhere from 12 to 18 months, and includes applying for child's Emigration Permit and a visa interview in Seoul, South Korea.

Adam Crapser
Adam Crapser was adopted from South Korea by U.S. citizens in 1979, then readopted by a second family years later. Both families were charged with child abuse and subsequently Crapser was left alone and without citizenship. Crapser had run-ins with law that ultimately led to him not being eligible for a green card after years of searching for his proper adoption documentation.

Crapser now lives in South Korea after being deported from the U.S. He filed a lawsuit against one of the biggest international adoption agencies, Holt Children's Services, for the negligence of sending thousands of children for adoption in the U.S. and other countries without "accounting for their future citizenship."

D
D was moved to the U.S. through the now terminated Friends of Children of Various Nations adoption agency in 1979, when he was 5 years old. After going from foster home to foster home throughout his time in the U.S., D got involved in gang activity that led him to be deported to South Korea in 2002.

Hong
Hong was among the thousands of Korean children adopted prior to 1983 and left without U.S. citizenship. He was sexually abused by his adoptive father and abandoned by his adoptive mother shortly after. Hong suffers from anxiety and depression due to these past events, and although he has residency in the U.S., his adoptive parents never filed for citizenship. Hong wants to visit Korea, but cannot apply for a U.S. passport.

Jessica Johnson
Jessica Johnson was adopted in 1974. Johnson's adoptive father does not recall any social worker seeing to Johnson's adoption in the first 6 months after the adoption took place. As a result, the "correct paperwork was never filed," leading to her not being able to find employment.