Adoptive parents seek senator’s help
Visas complicate intercountry adoptions for some families.
By MORGAN COOK
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
All of the families had covered the bases with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service and had adopted a child through the Vietnamese courts. But when their applications reached the consulate to be double checked, officials found reasons to suspect corruption in the adoption process and denied the children visas pending further review. What concerns U.S. officials in Vietnam are charges of baby selling. …
Cyril Ferenchak, a spokesman for the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, said the discrepancies usually result from differences in the agencies’ investigative tools, not differences in competence or motive. While the consulate can send investigators into the field to do interviews, USCIS must rely heavily on paper.
“The consular office’s decision to request a petition’s review is not an implication of doubt regarding the initial USCIS ruling,” Ferenchak said. “In most cases, information wasn’t available initially or additional information has become available.” …
Boxer said she has no problem with halting the adoption process if an agency finds a problem, but the cases her office has encountered appear to lack substantial evidence of foul play. …
“They definitely have an agenda,” Boxer added. “And I’m not saying their agenda is wrong, but the point is you don’t trap these families in your agenda.”
Ferechak denied Boxer’s claim. “The Department of State is proud of the role we play in helping orphans find new homes with American families, he said. “We would never allow these children to be used to achieve other goals.”
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