Guatemala Looks to Reform Adoptions
posted 5:00 pm Wed October 03, 2007 - Alexandria, Va.
Thousands of American families who want to adopt children, turn to Guatemala every year. But the adoptions may be suspended indefinitely as the country works to reform its system.
Guatemala is second only to China in U.S. adoptions. But the country was criticized for having a system so lax, it could leave kids vulnerable to human trafficking. So last week, Guatemala's president said he would not process 3000 pending U.S. adoptions after January 1st. Now those 3000 pending adoptions are leaving potential parents in an agonizing dilemma.
"The announcement was no grandfathering in," potential father Tom DiFilipo said, "Those adoptions could be nullified, and we would start all over again."
Adoption advocates now hope Congress will pressure the Guatemalan government to let families who have been matched with children complete the process.
The U.S. State Department has issued a statement which urges Guatemala to allow 3000 pending adoption cases to continue even after January 1st.
Guatemala is second only to China in U.S. adoptions. But t
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