Guatamalan Adoption Updates

Guatemalan officials recently announced that after December 31, 2007 they will no longer process intercountry adoptions to countries that are not full members of the Hague Adoption Convention. According to the State Department, the United States is expected to be fully compliant with the Hague Convention in the spring of 2008.

Every child deserves a permanent and loving family. I commend the intentions of the Hague convention to standardize international adoption procedures in order to prevent abuses and protect the children, birth parents and adoptive parents involved in intercountry adoptions. At the same time, I believe Guatemala should address an interim measure for the many pending adoptions.

What is the State Department Doing?

The State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs recently stated their commitment to working with all concerned parties to ensure that intercountry adoptions occur under transparent conditions and with appropriate safeguards to protect the interests of birth parents, adoptive parents and, most importantly, the children themselves. On September 25th the State Department released a warning regarding adoptions from Guatemala. Click here to read the statement. I will update this link as additional actions are taken. The State Department has stated they will urge the Government of Guatemala, as it develops legislation to meet Hague standards, to include provisions that would allow adoption cases already in progress to proceed to conclusions.

Action I am taking.

Currently I am working with other Members of Congress and the Congressional Coalition on Adoption to send letters to President Oscar Berger and the leadership of UNICEF to support an interim plan that would permit the current adoption cases to proceed. Click here to read the letter. I will update this link as additional actions are taken. Please be assured that I will continue to work hard to protect the interests of my constituents who are pursing an adoption from Guatemala.

Contact me with comments.

Click here to email me with any questions or concerns about your adoption from Guatemala.

Contact the State Department.

Please feel free to contact the Consular Affairs Bureau's Office of Children's Issues at (888)407-4747 or email at AskCI@state.gov with any additional questions or concerns.