Adoptee Rights Law Center
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adopteerights.bsky.social
Adoptee Rights Law Center
@adopteerights.bsky.social
830 followers 83 following 95 posts
Lawyer, law firm, adopted person. Lover of toast. Based in Minnesota, born and adopted in the District of Columbia | adopteerightslaw.com
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adopteerights.bsky.social
Intercountry adoptee never possessed her original certificate of naturalization and has lost her state ID. Your job? Figure out how to get just *one* of them now. One. Good luck.
Thick black rubber band twisted to resemble a Mobius strip, set on a dark grey background, creating a sense of endless motion.
September 16, 2025 at 12:27 AM
adopteerights.bsky.social
It goes beyond reviewing what are currently disqualifying actions or crimes and adds new ones---albeit undefined and expansive, to wit:
• Any other acts that are contrary to the average behavior of citizens in the jurisdiction where aliens reside. These could be actions that, while technically lawful, may be inconsistent with civic responsibility within the community, such as reckless or habitual traffic infractions, or harassment or aggressive solicitation. • In assessing acts that are unlawful or contrary to the average behavior of citizens of the community in which the alien resides USCIS will review all available documentation and question aliens seeking naturalization regarding the specific circumstances of their actions to determine if a particular situation or act should bar an alien from naturalization.
August 17, 2025 at 2:07 AM
adopteerights.bsky.social
In general, the new policy aims to create a new and incredibly abstract burden to naturalize, namely to show you are "worthy" of being a US citizen, apparently tied to your local community.
“Totality of Circumstances Approach: Going forward, USCIS officers must account for an alien’s positive attributes and not simply the absence of misconduct. In evaluating whether or not an alien has met the requirement of establishing GMC the Officer must take a holistic approach in evaluating whether or not an alien seeking naturalization has affirmatively established that he or she has met their burden of establishing that they are worthy of assuming the rights and responsibilities of United States Citizenship.”
August 17, 2025 at 2:05 AM
adopteerights.bsky.social
USCIS has updated its policy guidance on what constitutes "Good Moral Character" (GMC), what a foreign national must demonstrate to become a US citizen. The new "holistic" approach is incredibly broad. It will no doubt be challenged. It's here: uscis.gov/sites/defaul...
“The regulations and policy affirm that GMC findings must go beyond the absence of disqualifying acts, it must reflect a genuine positive assessment of who the alien is and how they have lived in their community. Thus, GMC has generally meant a character commensurate with the standards of average citizens of the community in which the alien resides.” From, Restoring a Rigorous, Holistic, and Comprehensive Good Moral Character Evaluation Standard for Aliens Applying for Naturalization | USCIS Policy Memorandum, 8/15/2025
August 17, 2025 at 2:04 AM
adopteerights.bsky.social
Do your fellow adoptee authors and researchers (and readers!) a favor. Request your local library to add the author's books to the library's collection. It makes a difference. 🥚 cc: @thesusanito.bsky.social
Screenshot of a library request to add the book I Would Meet You Anywhere to the library's collection. The request was for the book by Author Susan Kiyo Ito and the response in a blue box at the bottom indicates that "This title will be ordered. You may request it when it appears in the library catalog within 7 to 10 days. If you need assistance, please Ask US. In green in the upper right corner is the word Approved. Screenshot of the library listing for the book by I Would Meet Your Anywhere by Susan Kiyo Ito. The screenshot indicates that all 3 copies available are in use and that you can can request a hold on the book when it becomes available.
June 4, 2025 at 1:44 PM
adopteerights.bsky.social
I just received another FOIA response from USCIS and they removed the names of every person mentioned in 69 pages of records. EVERY PERSON, except one: my client, whose own name was not redacted. Her adoptive parents' names were removed from all records, including the decree. Absurd.
Screenshot of text describing the standard to remove information from a FOIA request to USCIS. In yellow highlighted marker are the words "We have completed the review of all documents and have identified 69 pages that are responsive to your request. Enclosed are 4 pages release in their entirety and 24 pages released in part. We are withholding 41 pages in full.
April 21, 2025 at 7:33 PM
adopteerights.bsky.social
For the first time EVER, USCIS has redacted the names of ADOPTIVE PARENTS in my client's immigration file (not to mention birthparent names, sibling names, and even the names of judges and officials involved in the adoption). Unbelievable. We're going to appeal. 🥚
Screenshot of an official record involving an adoption. The title of the snippet is "PARENTS" and it lists below a Father and Mother, though the names of the Father and Mother have been redacted by the use of white opaque boxes. The adoption is from Ukraine and the adoptive parents are US citizens.
April 19, 2025 at 1:15 PM
adopteerights.bsky.social
Georgia will soon be the 16th state to affirm or restore the right of all adult adopted people to obtain their own original birth records. SB100 passed the House earlier today after easily passing the Senate before. It heads to the governor. Great work by the Georgia Alliance for Adoptee Rights
Fireworks at night over downtown Atlanta with foreground of highway with long exposure headlights creating a light path. Over the image in large white capital letters is "GEORGIA!!"
April 2, 2025 at 9:20 PM
adopteerights.bsky.social
I kid you not. 🥚
Screenshot of bill description for South Carolina senate bill S0485, which states: S 0485 General Bill, By Cromer Summary: Adoption A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 44-63-140, RELATING TO BIRTH CERTIFICATES FOR ADOPTED INDIVIDUALS, SO AS TO ALLOW AN ADOPTED INDIVIDUAL WHO IS SEVENTY YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER TO OBTAIN COPIES OF RECORDS PERTAINING TO THE INDIVIDUAL'S ADOPTION, INCLUDING THE ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE.
March 26, 2025 at 11:45 AM
adopteerights.bsky.social
The USCIS ombudsman, also required by federal law (with one ombudsman for each state) has been critical to get USCIS to do its job, from the mundane (USCIS sitting on immigration applications) to the critical (reducing massive backlogs) Here's that law: www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/...
§272. Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (a) In general Within the Department, there shall be a position of Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (in this section referred to as the “Ombudsman”). The Ombudsman shall report directly to the Deputy Secretary. The Ombudsman shall have a background in customer service as well as immigration law. (b) Functions It shall be the function of the Ombudsman— (1) to assist individuals and employers in resolving problems with the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services; (2) to identify areas in which individuals and employers have problems in dealing with the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services; and (3) to the extent possible, to propose changes in the administrative practices of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services to mitigate problems identified under paragraph (2).
March 22, 2025 at 10:28 PM
adopteerights.bsky.social
These offices are critical to USCIS accountability---and federal law requires it. To do its job, the detention ombudsman, for example, must have unfettered access to detention facilities, detainees, and USCIS records. Here's the law: www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/...
(b) Functions The functions of the Ombudsman shall be to— (1) Establish and administer an independent, neutral, and confidential process to receive, investigate, resolve, and provide redress, including referral for investigation to the Office of the Inspector General, referral to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for immigration relief, or any other action determined appropriate, for cases in which Department officers or other personnel, or contracted, subcontracted, or cooperating entity personnel, are found to have engaged in misconduct or violated the rights of individuals in immigration detention; (2) Establish an accessible and standardized process regarding complaints against any officer or employee of U.S. Customs and Border Protection or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or any contracted, subcontracted, or cooperating entity personnel, for violations of law, standards of professional conduct, contract terms, or policy related to immigration detention; (3) Conduct unannounced inspections of detention facilities holding individuals in federal immigration custody, including those owned or operated by units of State or local government and privately-owned or operated facilities; (4) Review, examine, and make recommendations to address concerns or violations of contract terms identified in reviews, audits, investigations, or detainee interviews regarding immigration detention facilities and services; (5) Provide assistance to individuals affected by potential misconduct, excessive force, or violations of law or detention standards by Department of Homeland Security officers or other personnel, or contracted, subcontracted, or cooperating entity personnel; and (6) Ensure that the functions performed by the Ombudsman are complementary to existing functions within the Department of Homeland Security.
March 22, 2025 at 10:28 PM
adopteerights.bsky.social
Like we predicted, infants abandoned in Indiana baby boxes are placed for adoption . . . by the fire department.
March 21, 2025 at 1:02 PM
adopteerights.bsky.social
UPDATE: 🥚 Mutual Aid Fund request is nearly complete for a ICA client who has a naturalization interview in mid-March in Los Angeles. His sister has paid for my hotel stay and we need to raise $185 to close the final gap. Deets/donations: adopteerightslaw.com/contact/mutu... THANK YOU!
Mutual Aid Fund A fund to help adopted people who are in a temporary crisis or have expenses related to legal or immigration issues. Current focus: travel costs for me to appear for a mid-March naturalization interview for an intercountry adoptee client without US Citizenship, whose case is in Los Angeles. Total Request: [$800.00 is stricken through and a new value of $600.00 is indicated] (his sister has now funded my hotel stay). Raised as of February 15, 2025: $415.00. Remaining amount needed: $185.00.
February 16, 2025 at 3:55 PM
adopteerights.bsky.social
North Dakota has a bill. It's a pretty good one. More current state legislation here: adopteesunited.org/legislation/...
North Dakota. SB2284. Releases a copy of the adopted person’s original birth record upon request of an adoptee if 18 years of age or older, plus other provisions. North Dakota is one of the least populous states in the country, yet it is a state we often hear about from adoptees, particularly adoptees seeking a way to obtain their own original birth records. SB2284 is a bipartisan bill in a state whose legislature is dominated by Republicans (Republicans hold an 83-11 advantage in the House and a 42-5 advantage in the Senate). The bill would release an adult adoptee’s original birth record upon request at age 18, plus release a certified copy of the adoption decree upon request, including any birthparent identifying information that may be included in the decree. It also allows the adopted person to request a copy of the amended birth record (the record after an adoption) if the adoption had earlier been annulled or vacated. Introduced on January 20, 2025, it has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
January 21, 2025 at 9:44 PM
adopteerights.bsky.social
Two naturalization ceremonies today for intercountry adoptees. One in LA, one in Atlanta. I get to attend the one in Atlanta, which was approved this morning at the interview. Winning! 🥚
Snapshot of a form with the checkbox selected for “Congratulations! You application has been recommended for approval.” A large red Yes in cursive script with an exclamation point is over the form.
January 14, 2025 at 4:58 PM
adopteerights.bsky.social
I got back from a client's naturalization interview in Los Angeles with this already in the USCIS account. :) YAY! One more citizen (who also should have been a citizen more than five decades ago).
Screenshot of text from an online USCIS account. The core part of the text states "Case status issued December 10, 2024. Oath Ceremony Will Be Scheduled. We placed you in line for your oath ceremony and will send you a notice for Receipt Number IOE [number redacted], with the date, time, and location of your oath ceremony."
December 13, 2024 at 8:28 PM
adopteerights.bsky.social
Headed to LA today for a client’s naturalization interview. They’ve been through the USCIS wringer but it’s looking good for citizenship.
Famous colorful neon sign in Los Angeles at night, in a diamond shape with the words in neon “welcome to fabulous Los Angeles, California”
December 9, 2024 at 2:33 PM
adopteerights.bsky.social
Hey, guess what? We did i! We raised $505 to pay a client's filing fee for a Replacement Certificate of Citizenship. THANK YOU to everyone who pitched in. You are the best.
Light purple rectangular box, which is a screenshot from a website, with the following words inside the box: UPDATE. DONE! We raised $505 in exactly 7 hours, 56 minutes. Huge thanks for all of you who contributed. Every time there has been a need, people have come through. I will finish up the legal work to obtain the Replacement Certificate of Citizenship, and we will now have the funds for my client to pay the $505 USCIS filing fee. You all rock! Srsly, you do.
November 20, 2024 at 1:55 AM
adopteerights.bsky.social
I know and acknowledge that the fear of eliminating birthright citizenship is real, but the likelihood of it happening is practically zilch. It would take a constitutional amendment to do so, something that is incredibly hard to do and goes beyond the power of the president.
Conclusion The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution guarantees citizenship to any child born within the United States, with limited exceptions. Revoking this right would require amending the U.S. Constitution, or for the U.S. Supreme Court to diverge from centuries of established precedent and legal principles that date back to before the founding of this country.
November 15, 2024 at 4:56 PM
adopteerights.bsky.social
Here is an example of what changing the law in one state could look like to make it easy to get a certified copy of your own adoption decree (instead of having to petition the court, pay outlandish filing fees, and beg for its release)
Text of a current state law about obtaining a certified copy of a order of adoption, along with proposed amendments. The current law reads: 710.58 Order of adoption; certified copies. Sec. 58. When the court enters an order of adoption, certified copies shall be given to the adopting parent or parents. If the consent to the adoption was given by a duly authorized representative of the department, of a child placing agency, or of a public or licensed private agency of another state or country, a certified copy of the order of adoption shall be furnished by the court to the department or agency. In red print and underlined to indicate an addition to the law is the following: Upon request of the adoptee who is an emancipated minor or is at least 18 years of age or older, a certified copy of the order of adoption shall be provided to the adoptee or to the adoptee’s attorney or legal representative.
November 15, 2024 at 2:42 PM