---
title: Adopted Persons Deserve Equal Protection
description: ALL ADOPTED PERSONS DESERVE EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER U.S. LAW.
image: https://blog.adoptionsbygladney.com/hubfs/Wallpapers/Gladney-Desktop-Dec17_NewLogo_Blue-4.jpg
---

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# Gladney Blog

# Adopted Persons Deserve Equal Protection

Posted by [Heidi Bruegel Cox](https://blog.adoptionsbygladney.com/author/heidi-bruegel-cox) on 2/6/18, 7:02 AM

![](https://blog.adoptionsbygladney.com/hubfs/Staff%20Photos/Heidi%20Cox%202020-17%20(1).jpg)

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### ALL ADOPTED PERSONS DESERVE EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER U.S. LAW

> *"100 years ago, children who were adopted were not automatically able to inherit from their adoptive parents in the same way biological children were. Today, we cannot imagine how adopted children could have fewer rights than other children born into a family. Unfortunately, another significant discrepancy continues to exist for certain internationally adopted persons:  A child who was adopted in complete compliance with U.S. law and the laws of the birth country may not be a U.S. citizen, even though the person’s sibling, who was born in the same foreign country to the U.S. parents, would be a full U.S. citizen.**Now as adults, one sibling has all the rights of U.S. citizenship, while the adopted sibling may not have automatic rights of citizenship, and is vulnerable to deportation."*

#### Why Is This An  Issue?

*Children who were adopted in compliance with U.S. law are not all U.S. citizens*

The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 was intended to provide citizenship to children of intercountry adoption just as if the child had been born to the parents; however, it did not cover anyone who had already turned 18 by the time the statute was implemented in February 27, 2001

![Equal Rights for All Adopted Persons](https://blog.adoptionsbygladney.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/intercountry.jpg?width=640&name=intercountry.jpg "Equal Rights for All Adopted Persons")The public attention paid to the Child Citizenship Act touted it as giving automatic citizenship to internationally adopted children, and families did not understand that “automatic” meant different things for different children

#### What Can You Do?

- On March 8, 2018, Senators Roy Blunt and Mazie Hirono, and Representatives Adam Smith and Chris Smith introduced the bipartisan Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2018: [https://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/3/senators-blunt-hirono-and-representatives-adam-smith-chris-smith-introduce-adoptee-citizenship-act-of-2018](https://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/3/senators-blunt-hirono-and-representatives-adam-smith-chris-smith-introduce-adoptee-citizenship-act-of-2018)
- Encourage your U.S. Senators and Representatives to support the Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2018, or S.2522
- Continue to follow our posts. We will share updates as the legislation progresses
- Follow the legislation’s progress directly at [https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/2522/all-info](https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/2522/all-info)

*This important legislation will correct the oversights of the past and ensure equal protection for adopted adults.*

 

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 Topics: [Advocacy](https://blog.adoptionsbygladney.com/tag/advocacy), [Legislative](https://blog.adoptionsbygladney.com/tag/legislative), [Intercountry Adoption](https://blog.adoptionsbygladney.com/tag/intercountry-adoption)

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