Assembly Resolution No. 681
BY: M. of A. Kim
URGING the New York State Congressional delegation
to enact H.R.2731 securing the citizenship of
internationally-adopted adult individuals
WHEREAS, Since the close of World War II, over 350,000 children have
been adopted from abroad by United States citizen parents; and
WHEREAS, The Child Citizenship Act of 2000, passed by the 106th
Congress, aimed to provide equal treatment under United States law for
adopted and biological children by granting citizenship for
internationally born adoptees; however, it did not apply to those who
were over the age of 18 when the Act became law; and
WHEREAS, Tens of thousands of legally adopted individuals born
before February 27, 1983, and raised in the United States or did not
enter on an "orphan visa" do not have United States citizenship and
therefore are potentially subject to deportation; these adoptees'
parents did not complete the necessary processes to provide their
adopted children with citizenship or, in many cases, even a green card;
and
WHEREAS, The deportation of legally adopted individuals has
occurred, breaking up families and returning these individuals to places
where they were born but do not speak the language, understand the
culture, or have any known family members; and
WHEREAS, The individuals who do not have citizenship were adopted
from various countries including: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa
Rica, Germany, Guatemala, El Salvador, India, Ireland, Haiti, Iran,
Japan, Mexico, Panama, Philippines, Russia, Ukraine, and Vietnam; there
are an estimated 18,000 Korean American adoptees alone who do not have
United States citizenship despite having been legally adopted; and
WHEREAS, Bills that would have granted citizenship to adult adoptees
were introduced with bipartisan support in both the 114th and 115th
Congresses; none of the bills were referred out of committee for a
Congressional vote; and
WHEREAS, These bills sought to amend the Immigration and Nationality
Act to grant automatic citizenship to all qualifying children adopted by
a U.S. citizen parent regardless of the date on which the adoption was
finalized or the entrance visa; and
WHEREAS, Citizenship would be granted to any individual who was
adopted by a U.S. citizen before age 18, was physically present in the
United States in the citizen parent's legal custody pursuant to lawful
admission before the individual reached age 18, never previously
acquired U.S. citizenship, and was lawfully residing in the United
States, while also giving adoptees who had already been deported the
opportunity to return to the United States; and
WHEREAS, Biological children of U.S. citizen parents are not subject
to deportation when they commit a crime, and children adopted by U.S.
citizen parents should have the same rights as biological children of
U.S. citizens; it is therefore unfair discrimination for the adopted
child of U.S. citizen parents to be subject to deportation; and
WHEREAS, This Legislation is supported by several organizations such
as: Korean American Immigration Heritage Foundation and Korean American
Public Action Committee New York, Minsun Kim, President; Also-Known-As,
Michael Mullen, President; Adoptee Rights Campaign, Joy Alessi,
Director; and Adoptees for Justice, Kristopher Larsen, Director; and
WHEREAS, Naturalization of adult adoptees who immigrated to the
United States under the promise of finding a permanent home is necessary
to ensure they are not forcibly removed from what has become their home
country; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the New York State Congressional delegation be and
hereby is respectfully memorialized by this Legislative Body to enact
H.R.2731 securing the citizenship of internationally-adopted adult
individuals who are now adults and to pass the Adoptee Citizenship Act
of 2019; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the President of the Senate of the United States, the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each member of the
Congress of the United States from the State of New York.