This is really sad. After pressuring Guatemala to get this law implemented sooner than they were ready - CLEARLY, the US has now washed our hands of the problems caused by that pressure.. And this is all about the children?? Hmmm....

Oh it most definitely WILL be their problem if we PAPs continue to be jerked around and are left twisting in the wind much longer. If they think we made a stink a few months ago they ain't seen nothing yet. If they think for one second that we are going to just lie down and take this they are sadly mistaken and they have grossly underestimated our determination to get our children home. Also, at this point I couldn't care less who is reading this and in fact, I can only HOPE someone from the USCIS IS reading it. How dare they pressure the Guatemalan Government into implementing this law by December 31st knowing full well it would be a total disaster and then turn around and basically tell us to stuff it? You have GOT to be kidding me! I hope our Congressmen and Senators are ready for the deluge they will be getting if our Government continues to take this callous position.

The title says it all - USCIS announces New Guatemalan Adoption Legislation. This law was imposed by the US and it's fitting that USCIS would issue a press release, as if it's some law that the US Congress passed...

Isn't that sweet of them? They have helped so much to this point. Being as sarcastic as I can be. Just a little vent.

Not that I ever felt super supported by our government but I must say I am highly disappointed at their seemingly hands off- we can't intervene approach when they have had NO PROBLEM intervening on the world political stage whenever it suits their own agenda. Shame on those people who strong armed an unprepared government to pass a law prematurely. I will rejoice and finally exhale when my daughter comes home.

To all of you. My heart just bleeds. Even though my little Guatemalan is home and is now 3 years old, I still watch this board daily and I want all of you to know that my thoughts and prayers are with all of you and your little Guatemalans.

Whatever you do keep fighting. I know it seems like your hitting walls after walls, but we must ALL stick together even the people who already have there babies home, we must help these other families.

Sending you all love and prayers.
Sincerely,
Sandy Harboe

AMEN TLG. We will make it their problem if we do not get confirmation of our cases being registered this week and next. they will have to bear the wrath of all of us and we will be the biggest pains in their patouties until they stand up and take responsibility for this mess they have gotten us into and get us out and our children home. I am ready to start firing up the emails and burning up the phone lines to my congressman and senators right now.
THe DOS does not give a crap about the children or about us. Aint it great to be an American!

If next week does not bring results they better be prepared for the backlash.

This says it all about our government agencies! Now you understand why America is imploding.
Only help if it benefits their organization. Whatever happened to Government for the people?

Based on fact and information in the later part of 2007, the US DOS and US Embassy in Guatemala put significant pressure on the Guatemala Government to pass the laws in place now. Although there was pressure all year long, the most apparent were the actions around the voting of the new law. Guatemala requested that they come into Hague compliance at the time the US would. This was to be April 30, 2008. It was Guatemala's opinion that this would give them time to comply properly. The US pressured Guatemala to be compliant on Jan. 1, 2008. It was the US logic that anticipated the Guatemalans would not be in compliance and thus this separation of time would allow the US to help them get it straight. When the Guatemalan Congress ended their year without passing the law, the US pressured them to have an emergency meeting to vote. This was almost completely attended by the congressmen. It was thought that the US threatened to cancel the US visas of any congressman not voting properly. In fact, the US sent a team to attend the voting. There was an interview between Guatadopt and the Consul General of the USE in Guatemala. Mr. John Lowell, spoke about grandfathering, the time of enactment and the strategy that the US was employing. It was inferred that the US would help Guatemala comply and that in-process cases would be grandfathered. In fact, the US helped author the law as it stands.

GO AND READ THE INTERVIEW WITH JOHN LOWELL ON GUATADOPT. LOOK AT THE NOV. 2007 ARCHIVES FOR THE INTERVIEW.

Did the US has set up Guatemala to fail and look like the bad guy? Was it was their intention to make themselves look good while watching the ship sink. All through 2007, the US issued lukewarm suggestions or warnings about adopting from Guatemala. They thought this would keep people from beginning the process, but in reality more rushed to beat the deadline. The plan backfired. Then later in the fall, the US strongly worded the warnings. All of this was happening as I-600As were being approved. Why wouldn't the US just stop approving the applications? If they kept approving them, issuing lukewarm warnings and rushed the new system, all while knowing the struggle Guatemala would have complying, then success or failure would look to be in the hands of Guatemala.

Now reality is here. The process is falling apart. The US has taken a hands off approach and pointed fingers. It is like talking your slow friend into robbing a store then running when he does it. Did the US set this up? Should they now submit that same pressure as they did to get the laws passed? I have heard from many that this is a Guatemalan issue and the US can't do anything. They sure did a few months back.

Come on USA, the families and children need your help!

I'm sure they'll turn around and say they warned people not to proceed with adoptions since last March. So, they'll feel they are covered.

Agree with TLG's comments above. We PAPs will turn on the heat very soon and let DOS/USCIS know who's paying their salaries, when our babies are stuck in the bureocratic mess.

An apology.. Any comments to this thread posted Tues night or early Wed were accidentally deleted.

Mea culpa,

Kevin
Guatadopt.com

I agree with Susan - the DOS will say, "well, we *told* you not to start a Guatemalan adoption" - and those in process will be left to fend for themselves. How long does anyone think the attorneys are going to pay never-ending foster & medical care for these children? *Someone* in a position of power is going to have to step up to the plate here... Lee

It's easy to sit at your personal computer, in your warm living room in your safe home in your free country and criticize everyone who you believe isn't working hard enough to help YOU with YOUR adoption of YOUR child into YOUR family. Well, there are many good people, in both Guatemala and the US, working very hard to improve the plight of the children of Guatemala.

Lauren,

I am wondering where you are right now.May be your are not at home at your personal computer with the heating on? Do you know how many of us are deeply involved with the Guatemalan community? Do you know that this involvement isn't only emotional but also monetary? Do you know how many trips we have taken to Guatemala to see our children? Do you know how we feel every time we have to bring our children back to the orphanage or to the foster care parents? Do you know how our older adopting children cry the moment they see the doors of the orphanage and they beg you not to leave them there? Do you know that my wife and I ( we are lower middle class in US ) have being sending money to the people in need of Guatemala every month since 2001, well before we decided to adopt? Tell all of us if you ever had such of experiences; and tell all of us what you are personally doing to help the people in need in that Country. We aren't criticizing the good people: We are criticizing the ones that are responsible for this mess. And don't tell me that the DOS issued a warning about the adoptions in Guatemala in March 2007, there are many in process cases started two years ago. There are still people waiting for a judge to declare adoptable a child abandoned in the street of Guatemala City 2 years ago. And I can garantee you that adopting parents in US would rather be sleeping than spending sleepless night on line looking for answer.

I agree 100% with TLG, Bob and Vince, well said by all of you.

In my opinion, USDOS pursued a reckless, self-righteous strategy of pressuring Guatemala into passing the Adoption Law (which by the way, in fact will greatly reduce the future adoption caseload of USCIS in Guatemala) all the while paying lip service to Hague and "best interests" of the children, many of whom are now in limbo while the Guatemalan government races to build a system that has taken the US over 10 years to implement, which is hypocrisy. This is unacceptable and there must be accountability.

Dear Mr. John Lowell, if you're reading this, please answer these questions from a concerned American citizen. What are you and USDOS doing now for the "grandfathered" cases to be completed? Who will care for these thousands of children now? Will the US offer Guatemala economic aid to help care for these children? Will we assist Guatemala in building the new Central Authority? Will we assist Guatemala in the registration process being clearly defined?

I know this is a frustrating time for everyone. When we first accepted a referral from our adoption agency in February 2006 there were already warnings for prospective adoptive parents about the uncertain times ahead. By the fall of 2006 Guatadopt and DOS were cautioning adoptive families about beginning a new adoption with Guatemala. By the time we woke up to the nightmare of Mary Bonn's arrest in January 2007 the warnings were very clear - proceed at your own risk. Kevin at Guatadopt was a huge source of comfort to our family during those very uncertain days immediately following the news of her arrest. Waiting for phonecalls that never come and suffering through endless (needless) delays with no certainty of bringing your child home is the worst kind of pain. I know, we lived it. But never once did we feel we hadn't been warned about the risks. Whether domestic or international, adoption is a leap of faith. Just try and hang on.