South Korean adoptee fights for US citizenship in 2024
- Adam Crapser, a South Korean adoptee, is suing in Seoul for restitution related to a defective adoption process.
- After being adopted in the US in 1979, he was deported in 2016 due to lack of citizenship despite living there for 37 years.
- His fight highlights the challenges faced by international adoptees, emphasizing the need for legislative reforms in the US to protect their citizenship rights.
Adam Crapser, a South Korean who was adopted and lived in the United States for 37 years, has become a prominent figure in the discussion about the legality and safety of international adoptions. Following his deportation in 2016 due to a lack of citizenship, Crapser took legal action in a Seoul courtroom, seeking restitution for what he contends was a flawed adoption process. His emotional battle emphasizes the complex issues that international adoptees face, particularly regarding their legal status in their adoptive countries. Crapser was adopted by a family in Michigan in 1979, yet his American guardians never secured his citizenship documentation. This oversight led to his deportation, leaving him feeling stranded in a country where he lacked familial connections or understanding of the customs. The court case in Seoul addresses the psychological and emotional toll on adoptees who endure such severe identity disruptions. In addition to fighting for his restitution, Crapser’s struggle is compounded by concerns about his two young children, one of whom he was forced to leave behind. As he seeks a resolution to reunite with them, legislative efforts to rectify citizenship gaps for international adoptees remain stuck in Congress. The plight of adoptees like Crapser reveals significant policy oversights and underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to secure citizenship rights for all adoptees, ensuring they do not suffer similar fates in the future.