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CONGRESSMAN JOE MORELLE CALLS FOR ACTION TO ADDRESS STALLED ADOPTIONS OF UKRAINIAN CHILDREN

March 9, 2022

Urges State Department to create pathway for children to enter United States and be reunited with adoptive families

(Washington, DC) — Today, Congressman Morelle called for federal action to support the many vulnerable orphans in Ukraine who have been displaced amidst the Russia-Ukraine crisis. These children and families are in various stages of the adoption process and now face an uncertain future.

“Dozens of families in my community and hundreds across the country who are undergoing the already long and arduous process of adopting a Ukrainian child are now left in limbo, agonizing over the safety and well-being of their prospective children,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “My heart breaks for these families who are watching helplessly as their future children navigate dangerous war zones or evacuate to neighboring countries thousands of miles away. There is no safer place for them than with the family they know and love—that’s why I’m calling on the State Department to provide resources to swiftly bring these children to America and reunite them with their prospective adoptive parents.”

Since February 24th, the safety and security of the Ukrainian people has been under direct threat from Vladimir Putin’s act of aggression. As a result of these heinous acts, over one million Ukrainians have fled the country and millions more have been internally displaced. Among them are many uniquely vulnerable Ukrainian orphans—many of whom were in the process of being adopted by parents in the United States.

The children have already spent weeks and months in the United States with these families. Now, as they flee Ukraine to seek safety, we must help bring them to America with the families they know and love. In that vein, Rep. Morelle is calling for the State Department to:

  • Grant these children new six-month B visas to return to the United States to stay with their host families.
  • Work closely with existing Ukrainian authorities to ensure the requisite travel authorizations are granted, and to implement a system to record the movements and locations of Ukrainian orphans.
  • Continue to work with Ukrainian authorities to find ways to expedite the international adoption process without compromising critical safety measures.

“This is a heart-wrenching situation, and we have to do everything in our power to make it right,” continued Rep. Morelle. “I’m urging my colleagues in Congress to join me in calling for immediate action to get these children safely to America.”