releases: https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2772
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2772 | Reps. Bacon and Smith and Sens. Hirono and Collins Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Close Loophole that Impacts Adoptee Families | 2025-09-22 | 2025 | 2025-09 | Republican | House | NE | Don Bacon | B001298 | bacon.house.gov | bacon | https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx | scraper | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representatives Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and Adam Smith (D-Wash.) and Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) introduced the Protect Adoptees and American Families Act, which would grant U.S. citizenship to international adoptees who were legally adopted in the U.S. as children but lack citizenship status due to a loophole in the Child Citizenship Act of 2000. “As the father to two adopted children, I can’t imagine the uncertainty and anxiety faced by these adoptees who were legally adopted in our country, but are now being told they aren’t U.S. citizens,” said Rep. Bacon. “While this situation was rectified for newly adopted children when the law was passed in 2000, adoptees from before that year were left in limbo land. Imagine being allowed to vote, paying into social security and enjoying other rights as a citizen, and then being told you are not a citizen. It makes zero sense and this legislation corrects that egregious mistake.” “For decades, thousands of people who were adopted into loving American families have lived in legal limbo through no fault of their own,” said Rep. Smith. “The Protect Adoptees and American Families Act will finally close this loophole and guarantee citizenship to adoptees who have spent their lives in the United States and deserve the same rights as any other American. This bipartisan legislation is about fairness, dignity, and ensuring that families remain whole.” “Thousands of American families and their internationally-adopted children have been living in fear and uncertainty due to an oversight in the Child Citizenship Act, which is why I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing legislation that would provide a long overdue solution to address this issue,” said Senator Hirono. “The Protect Adoptees and American Families Act will help keep families together, and ensure that international adoptees are afforded the rights they deserve as U.S. citizens.” “It is simply not right that international adoptees who were legally adopted in the United States are being denied citizenship due to a loophole in current law,” said Senator Collins. “Our bipartisan bill would address this loophole and allow these individuals to finally achieve their rightful status as American citizens.” BACKGROUND Families who adopted children from abroad were previously required to complete a lengthy, expensive naturalization process for their adopted children, on top of the adoption process itself. In some cases, the paperwork was not completed in full, leaving adoptees unaware they were living in the U.S. without citizenship. The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 (CCA) streamlined this process by granting automatic citizenship to foreign-born children under 18 adopted by U.S. citizens. However, the law only applied to adoptees under age 18 at the time the CCA took effect in February 2001. Adoptees who had already reached adulthood were excluded, leaving tens of thousands of people without citizenship despite being raised in American families. The Protect Adoptees and American Families Act fixes this gap by confirming U.S. citizenship for internationally adopted individuals, regardless of when they were adopted or their age. Specifically, the bill: Provides automatic citizenship to foreign-born children lawfully adopted by U.S. families who turned 18 before February 27, 200. Establishes a path to citizenship for adoptees living abroad who meet eligibility requirements but currently reside outside the U.S. This process includes background checks and the resolution of any outstanding legal matters before citizenship is granted. This legislation will provide long-overdue certainty for adoptees who have faced barriers to higher education, employment, and financial services, and who in some cases have even faced deportation to countries where they have no family or community ties. | 1 | 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z | 2026-04-06T19:10:29Z |