A concurrent resolution calling upon the President of the United States and the United States Congress to support efforts to naturalize certain legally adopted children who were born outside the United States.
The resolution specifically references the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, which provided pathways to citizenship for many children, including those adopted by U.S. citizens. However, it notes that the act did not extend citizenship to adoptees over the age of eighteen at the time the act came into effect, leading to significant numbers of individuals who remain undocumented and subject to the risk of deportation. This lack of citizenship not only affects the individuals but also poses challenges to family unity, as some adoptees have been deported, separating them from their families in the U.S.
HCR7 is a concurrent resolution introduced in the Iowa legislature that calls upon the President of the United States and the United States Congress to support efforts to naturalize certain legally adopted children who were born outside the United States. The resolution highlights the historical commitment of Iowa to international adoptions and acknowledges the myriad challenges faced by adoptees who remain without U.S. citizenship, despite being raised by American families. HCR7 seeks to address these barriers by urging legislative action to enable citizenship for these individuals.
While the resolution enjoys bipartisan support, it also underscores ongoing conversations about immigration and citizenship policy in the U.S., particularly concerning vulnerable populations like adoptees. Advocates for HCR7 argue that granting citizenship could alleviate numerous difficulties faced by these individuals, including barriers to access basic services such as banking, education, and health care. Critics may raise concerns regarding the broader implications of changing citizenship laws and potential impacts on immigration policy; however, this resolution primarily focuses on rectifying the oversight related to adoptees from the Child Citizenship Act.