Resuming Haitian Adoptions Through Standard Process

The Haiti government has requested that the United States provide them with a final list of orphans being considered under the Special Humanitarian Parole Program for Haitian Orphans. As a result, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will stop accepting new requests for consideration under the special program as of April 14, 2010, and will resume regular processing of intercountry adoptions.

USCIS believes the vast majority of adoption requests for orphans who meet the criteria of the special program have already been submitted. Since January 18, USCIS has authorized parole for more than 1,000 orphans under the special program, and as of April 5, approximately 340 cases are still being considered. The unprecedented program included safeguards to ensure that each child granted parole was truly available for adoption and had been matched to a suitable U.S. citizen for adoption.

To read the fact sheet from USCIS, click here.

Special Haitian Humanitarian Parole Ending

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will stop accepting new requests for parole under the Special Humanitarian Parole Program for Haitian Orphans effective April 13, 2010, because the Haitian government has requested that the United States bring the program to a close. While USCIS believes that the vast majority of requests for special parole have already been submitted, any remaining prospective adoptive parents or adoptive parents will have until April 14, 2010, to submit a request under the special program.

To date, more than 1,000 Haitian orphans have been approved for travel to the United States to join their adoptive families under this expedited process.

To read the fact sheet from USCIS, click here.

In the News

This was published in the Times Picayune in New Orleans. Click on the image below and it will open a new window that allows you to read it without a magnifying glass!

Haiti Team Member in the News

15 of our 26 team members from our Haiti trip.

From left to right: Karen (foreground), Kathy (behind Karen), Wade peeking out, Erin & Tom.

During our recent trip to Haiti, TRTP team members were privileged to meet Karen Henderson, a medical professional from Terre Haute, Indiana. She joined the team of doctors, nurses and physician assistants who had come to work in the clinic at Mountain Top Ministries (MTM) during MTM's first week of operations following the earthquake.

I (the author) met Karen at the airport in Port au Prince, where we frantically searched for our bags among the crowds and gathered close to Willem as he guided us swiftly through customs. She and I rode together in one of the trucks to Mountain Top Ministries. As we drove, Karen was video taping much of the material that you will see on the newscast from WTHItv 10.

She video taped throughout the week and, if you watch closely, you will see Kathy (TRTP President) and Erin (TRTP board member) working in the clinic.

Thank you, Karen, for your moving pictures of life in Haiti.