Citizenship for Adoptees

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/09/opinion/citizenship-for-adoptees.html

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To the Editor:

Re “Deportation a ‘Death Sentence’ to Adoptees After a Lifetime in the U.S.” (news article, July 3):

I am appalled to read that people who were adopted from other countries before 2000 are in danger of deportation back to their countries of origin if their parents didn’t realize that they had to apply for American citizenship for their children.

The law was changed in 2000 — very sensibly — as the children were part of their new family as soon as they arrived. The act of legal adoption ensures that an adoptee is legally a member of the family, just like all children born to American citizens for whom citizenship is automatic.

The unfortunate adults whose parents before 2000 did not pursue getting citizenship for them are not at fault and should be recognized as legitimate American citizens. Pursuing this group of adults is vindictive.

LOUISE LAZARE, WABAN, MASS.

The writer adopted three children from Vietnam.