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Subscribe to RSSThose already undergoing the costly process of adopting a child from Russia found out Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law barring any future adoptions, canceling the ones in progress. NBC's Kerry Sanders reports.
President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Friday that bans Americans from adopting Russian children and imposes other measures in retaliation for new U.S. legislation meant to punish Russian human rights abusers.
The law, which has ignited outrage among Russian liberals and children's rights advocates, enters into force on Jan. 1 and is likely to strain U.S.-Russia relations.
As well as banning U.S. adoptions, it will also outlaw some non-governmental organizations that receive U.S. funding and impose a visa ban and asset freeze on Americans accused of violating the rights of Russians abroad.
The law could block dozens of Russian children expected to be adopted by American families from leaving the country and cut off one of the main international routes for Russian children to leave orphanages that are often dismal. Russia is the single biggest source of adopted children in the United States, with more than 60,000 Russian children being taken in by Americans over the past two decades.
The bill is retaliation for an American law that calls for sanctions against Russians deemed to be human rights violators and part of an increasingly confrontational stance by the Kremlin against the West.
Related: Americans may lose right to adopt Russian children
Putin said U.S. authorities routinely let Americans suspected of violence toward Russian adoptees go unpunished — a clear reference to Dima Yakovlev, a Russian toddler for whom the bill is named. The child was adopted by Americans and then died in 2008 after his father left him in a car in broiling heat for hours. The father was found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
Children's rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov on Wednesday said that 46 children who were about to be adopted in the United States would remain in Russia if the bill came into effect. On Thursday, he petitioned the president to extend the ban to other countries.
Courtesy Thomas family
John and Renee Thomas with their son, Jack, 7, who was adopted from Russia at the age of 3. Jack is hoping for his brother, Nikoly, now in a Russian orphanage, to join him in the United States.
Would-be adoptive parents in the United States are left hanging by Putin's signing of the bill, which was passed by Russian lawmakers last week.
Among them are John and Renee Thomas of Minnetonka, Minn., Kari Huus of NBC News reported. The Thomases have already adopted Jack, 7, from Russia. When they found out he had a little brother, they began the process to try to adopt him, too. The wait has stretched to four years, and now the adoption may be in danger.
"When Jack is asked about his family, he talks about his brother," John Thomas said. "He always asks, 'When is he coming home?' We just tell him we’re waiting for the call."
More: Adoption of little brother caught in US-Russia spat
UNICEF estimates that there are about 740,000 children without parental custody in Russia, while only 18,000 Russians are now waiting to adopt a child.
Russian President Vladamir Putin has said he'll sign a proposed law that would halt adoptions of Russian children to Americans. NBC's Duncan Golestani reports.
The U.S. State Department on Thursday repeated its opposition to the Russian measure.
"The welfare of children is simply too important to tie to the political aspects of our relationship," State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said. "Additionally, we are deeply troubled by the provisions in the bill that would restrict the ability of Russian civil society organizations to work with American partners."
Critics of the bill left dozens of stuffed toys and candles outside the parliament's lower and upper houses to express solidarity with Russian orphans.
An online petition urging the Kremlin to scrap the bill garnered more than 100,000 Russian signatures.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
I can't believe those dirty, filthy Russians would use the horrible plight of these children to make a political statement. That would never happen in the U.S. of A.
(where is that sarcasm button?)
As for the adopt American first crowd....please mind your own business.
+So, this is the guy that obama told to "wait until after the election then we can talk about the US missile defense." Not the russian, the US, well, this is the type of creep that obama is going to talk to about cutting our missile defense?
Well, Putin proved just how stupid and ill-advised he really is (something the rest of the world already knew). If he doesn't like us, then why does he accept the billions of dollars and aid that we send over there annually? I wonder how much revenue those orphanages will loose because of this ban, not to mention all the "fees" that are used to grease the political hands
Putin needs to grow a serious pair of balls and stop all this bull@!$%#. The only thing this bill will do is ensure that he never wins another election, along with anyone else that actually supports this act.
Somehow I don't think there would quite as big of an uproar in our country if the US banned people from other countries from adopting US children. If we heard horror stories of adopted children from the US dying in the care of Russian parents and our Congress passed a law banning Russians from adopting US children, you people are telling me you wouldn't be screaming for the president to sign the bill? Gooby, please.
Putin is definitely suffering from 'roid rage!
Could politicians screw things up anymore than this!!!!!!!
Nothing like two rich idiots screwing things up for kids who need families and love.
The bill is retaliation for an American law that calls for sanctions against Russians deemed to be human rights violators and part of an increasingly confrontational stance by the Kremlin against the West.
So this bill only continues the abuse against their own children.
Way to hurt the U.S. Putin, how pathetic.
I am surprised that Russia would stop selling babies to the United States. That has got to be a big income for them and help in reducing their population. If only all countries would stop selling babies to the United State it would help us with our overpopulation problem.
We have plenty of kids here who need a home.
What goes around comes around; For every action......
We can't expect to throw darts without a return volley!!
Can we have it both ways?
When will we learn to stifle it?
It seems to me that if a couple is married for 3 or 4 years and they have a strong employment record with no gaps and have only misdemeanors in their criminal record and not battery or assault charges that they would make a good parent for a Russian child.
I don't think the problem is that Americans are not qualified its that the screening process is not thorough.
No single parents. No felonies. No assaults. Etc.
I am hoping that President Puten will reconsider his decision for the sake of the children, BUT America should stop always treating Russia like the enemy. American wants to impose sanctions because of human rights issue, but no one has more human rights issues plus, then China. No one country is more dangerous to America then China and maybe the Arabs, but not only are there no sanctions with these countries, America has sold it's soul to China. Try finding something not made in China or Asia. Good luck. The U.S. really does need to mind it's own business at times and stop antagonizing other countries.
RUCK the FUSSIANS!!!!
Good, russia should keep its illegitimate kids, we don't want them to take up our people tax dollars taking care of them for you putin. Not allowing them to be adopted by Americans will give them the life of squalor and poverty under your reign of terror.
If American adoptions weren't so damned convoluted and expensive Americans would adopt American babies. Adoptions here are so expensive it is cheaper to fly round trip 2 parents to other countries to get babies. This while our gov't charges so much we leave our own children to the welfare system.
Good idea. That's almost like performing a background check in and of itself. It's makes sure the children are going to get a good home. People with morals from middle or upper middle class homes.
No problem. Who needs kids will alcohol poisoning anyhow?
Isn't it about time to have the laws, concerning adoption in this country, changed; so people would be more willing to adopt American children.
I keep telling you, current day Russia is still the Soviet Union in disguise. Don't be fooled, Putin is also like Stalin in many ways.
Rerere....you are absolutely correct. Thank you.
Typical for a communist like Putin to pull this stunt. He could care less about Russian orphans. He and Obama should get along well on the disarmament thing though. Russia amasses a huge arsenal of nukes, while the U.S. reduces our stockpile dramatically.
Poor kids....everywhere.
GOOD....Take care of your own kids!!!
Why can't people adopt children here? There are plenty of needy children right here in the U.S.. Any body else see a problem with this besides me? ...Oh, I get it now, the Russian kids are now like the Chinese kids of the 90's. Its in fashion to get European these days! ---- Garbage.
Have you tried to adopt here? PS, my adoptive son from Russia isn't garbage.
Thank you Jersey Mom! I find it funny how all of these Nay sayers have never gone through the adoption process, but are able to point the finger. I guess there are still alot of people out there who think adopting in this country must be a piece of cake.
@Beat Feet!
No, you don't get it. Most American kids available are 15 to 21 years old! Why don't you adopt one of them?? Err, why don't you just adopt me? I need a rich parent to take care of my bills and give me a free house, car, phone, and college, of course! (I'm a little past 15 ;-)
But do the American thing: let the Russian toddlers rot in their orphanages, and bust out your retirement savings to take care of me, me, me!!
Anyone willing to take on someone else's child is not garbage. They, in fact, are quite wonderful. The US process and cost is just too prohibitive.
The bill is retaliation for an American law that calls for sanctions against Russians deemed to be human rights violators and part of an increasingly confrontational stance by the Kremlin against the West.
What about our part in this? Why do we think it's ok for our government to put sanctions on Russia? Why does the US government think that they get to rule the world and I guess all the other counties are just supposed to accept that. Well, Russia didn't accept it and I don't blame them for their retaliation. Put pressure on Obama to repeal the sanctions and then perhaps the Russian government will be willing to come back to the table on the adoption issue.
Also the adoption process and expense involved to adopt a US child needs some serious overhauling.
thank you Russia, there are plenty of American children to be adopted!
Although he is a big jerk and clearly doing this to somehow better his political standpoint.. I think it is good.. It's about time we here in America realize how many unloved, discarded children in our own great USA need adopting, Children are NOT toys but we seem to treat them that way... So get over it people and realize what you have here... Geeeez.......