As the proud parents of four children (three of them adopted), we are so pleased to see Sen. Collins working to close a cruel oversight in federal law with the introduction of the Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2021.

Picture this: Your family legally adopts a child from another country and over the years you grow to love this child as your very own. Then, once the child becomes an adult they are denied citizenship and forced to return to the country where they were born, even though their entire life is here with you.

That terrible scenario is a reality for some families whose adopted children became an adults before the Child Citizenship Act passed in 2000. Thankfully, our adoptions were local, so our children will never be separated from us or forced to leave the country. There’s no question as to where they belong. We can’t imagine having to live with that sort of fear and turmoil.

As Sen. Collins said, it just isn’t right. All international adoptees should have a clear path to citizenship, regardless of how old they were when the original law was passed. That’s why Sen. Collins has co-authored a bipartisan bill to close this loophole. This bill is simply the right, humane thing to do, and as adoptive parents, we are so glad to have her working hard to make this necessary change.

Ben and Jessica Gilman
Gorham