Tag Archives: proof of citizenship

Info About Proving Citizenship for Adoptees and Adoptive Parents: Be Informed, Be in Community

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Many of us here in the US are worried about adoptees these days, those whom we love and those who are in the adoption community. The ICE raids, the sweeps at schools and courthouses, the characterization of Somali immigrants as “garbage,” the end of Temporary Protected Status for Ethiopians and others, the banning of travelers from 39 countries (most from Africa): it’s a lot to take in. Add to that the tragic death of Renee Good, the divisive rhetoric in our country, and the suspicion with which immigrants are treated, and you can understand why anxiety and fear are in the air.

International adoptees are immigrants, and many are concerned, as are their adoptive parents.

I heard today about an adoptive parent whose young adult child was held by ICE for about 45 minutes, The adoptee, fortunately, had a Certificate of Citizenship, and that ended the time with ICE. Even so, I’d bet it was a scary time for that young international adoptee. I know of a mom who worries about her daughter waiting at a bus stop. I know adopted adults who say they are looking over their shoulder on a regular basis. Those in Minnesota are particularly, understandably, anxious. I heard from an adoptive parent that she didn’t realize that the Enhanced Driver’s License (available in 5 states) provides both identity and proof of citizenship.

Most adoptees have citizenship, but not all, especially those who were over 18 when the Child Citizenship Act was passed, providing automatic citizenship to international adoptees. I highly recommend all international adoptees get their Certificate of Citizenship (CoC), the gold standard to prove they are U.S. citizens.

Even with the CoC, many adoptees and adoptive parents want to be sure they are doing all they can in the event they get in trouble with the law, or they are caught up in a sweep, or are otherwise challenged to prove their citizenship. Maybe they will not have any issues or challenges–that would be wonderful. And there’s nothing wrong with being prepared.

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I’ve put together some info about government documents that prove citizenship and identity, about Temporary Protective Status which ends February 13 for Ethiopians, and about ideas for phone security and for carrying around government-issued documents. I hope folks will find it helpful. It has a disclaimer, as I am not an expert nor an attorney. I’ve had a lawyer look at it; any errors are mine. Let me know if it needs corrections–thank you.

We need information, and we need community. We need folks to know that they are not alone, and that includes deported international adoptees. I hope all international adoptees have accurate information, and are safe. I hope all adoptive parents will stay informed and supportive of their children, whether the children are in elementary school or are working, married, homeowners, adventurers, whatever the case may be. As an adoptive parent and as a grandmother, I know there is so much we don’t have control over once our children leave the house, whether to live across the country or to ride the bus to school.

Take good care, all.

Click to access Citizenship-Proof-and-Other-Adoption-Related-Issues.pdf

ICE Detains U.S. Citizen Who Is Latina Adoptee

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Her name is Maria Greeley, and ICE agents in Chicago told her she didn’t “look like” her name. They zip-tied and detained her. She was born in the U.S. and adopted. She is Latina. She had a copy of her passport with her. ICE said her passport didn’t look real, and told her she was lying.

“I am Latina and I am a service worker, she told the Chicago Tribune. “I fit the description of what they’re looking for now,” according to Newsweek.

She remains a bit shaken and said the experience was frightening. No doubt.

It also looks like racial profiling.

Many international adoptees don’t “look like” their adopted name’s ethnicity. A Chinese or Mexican or Haitian adoptee with the last name “O’Donahue” (I’m using this Irish name randomly) could find themselves in the same position as Greeley–it sure seems the ICE agents saw things that way.

These are very frightening times. Racial profiling is real. Adoptees should probably carry at least a paper copy of their passport, or of their passport card. That is unwieldy, I realize, but keeping a photo on the phone could be more problematic if ICE then takes the phone. Make copies of the passport and give them to family and friends, just in case. Know the phone numbers by heart of family members and a lawyer if possible.

Another reason to carry ID is that our U.S. government is now apparently enforcing a law allowing folks to be fined if they don’t have their “documents” on them. According to an NBC news channel in Chicago, “Chicago man fined $130 by ICE agents for not carrying identification.”

I am no investigative reporter. I do find it odd, though, that I can no longer find the Chicago Tribune article mentioned in the Newsweek article. If anyone else finds the Tribune article, please let me know.

Also, I believe in fairness and due process. I find it troubling to sanction abuse by our government, yet we keep hearing of so many cases.

Related Articles:

ICE Detains Citizen After Saying She Doesn’t “Look Like” Her Last Name.

International Adoptees (Immigrants): Proving Citizenship for Social Security

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Yesterday a 28-year-old international adoptee went to the Social Security Administration (SSA) office to get a replacement Social Security card. The worker there told her that she was not listed as a U.S. citizen according to Social Security. What? She has a passport and a Certificate of Citizenship, and has been a citizen for decades.

The situation was resolved easily with the passport, and the SSA now considers her to be an American citizen. She will get her replacement Social Security card in a couple of weeks.

Still, it was a surprise, that a major U.S. federal agency did not know that someone with a U.S. passport and a Certificate of Citizenship had been a citizen for years.

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Adoptive parents and internationally adopted adults: Unless you show proof, the SSA may not know you’re a citizen. While it might not complicate things like the paperwork for college, financial aid, citizenship verification for jobs, tax matters–it surely could.

A few thoughts:

  •  You don’t have to be a U.S. citizen to get a Social Security number. A Social Security number does not prove or mean citizenship, though you do have to be in the U.S. legally (or born here) to get one. The SSN is primarily for job/salary/ income tax purposes. International adoptees, as children, can get social Security numbers prior to citizenship by showing their adoption records. Information from SSA is available here.
  • The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 made citizenship automatic for international adoptees under 18 who arrived in the U.S on an IR-3 visa; they receive their CoC automatically. Those who arrive on an IR-4 visa receive a “Green Card” and are lawful permanent residents who must complete their adoption in their state, and then will receive the CoC. You can read more about the process from the State Department site here.
  • When an adoptee becomes a citizen, or more precisely, has proof of citizenship, he or she needs to show that proof to the SSA, in order that the SSA lists the adoptee as a citizen for its purposes. The passport or Certificate of Citizenship (CoC) will work, and can brought in or mailed to the SSA office. I’d be nervous about mailing a passport or a CoC, but I recognize that a second trip (after initially applying for the Social Security card) to an SSA office can be time-consuming and difficult for some folks.
  • When the proof of citizenship has been seen by the SSA, the SSA will confirm in its records that the person is indeed a U.S. citizen.
  •  Federal government agencies do not appear to share databases (Department of State and Department of Homeland Security, for example). Federal, state, and local government agencies often use different policies and databases for proving citizenship and verifying identity.

That last point is important. As kids grow up, they need different paperwork for school, college, sports, internships, travel, and jobs. All adoptees should have proof of their citizenship. Adoptees who were over 18 when the Child Citizenship Act (CCA) became law because and so did not qualify for citizenship under the CCA should definitely make sure they have proof, since they are subject to deportation if they are not citizens. The Certificate of Citizenship, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, is considered by many to be the gold standard for proving citizenship. One government agency might accept a drivers’ license, and another might insist on a passport. Another might use the Department of Homeland Security database and only accept the Certificate of Citizenship. Different states have different requirements and databases.

Government paperwork has a lot of permutations: U.S. birth certificates are issued to international adoptees, listing adoptive parents as the ones who gave birth, and are not proof of citizenship; the certificates are legal fictions. Drivers’ licenses from some states will  no longer be accepted for airline travel in years to come: you will need REAL ID. Who knows how citizenship identity requirements will change in the future, for immigrants, for international adoptees–for everyone? I strongly recommend getting your paperwork house in order.

 

The deadline to apply for the Certificate of Citizenship before it doubles in price is December 23, by the way. I’ve written about it here: Internationally Adopted Children in Our Anti-Immigrant Culture. Info about the increase is here.