Abused S.Korean Adoptee Faces Deportation
Adam Crapser's case reveals the failings of the US-Korea adoption system, US foster care and the callousness of our immigration laws. This is a story that should be widely shared!
Crapser and his sister were adopted by an abusive US couple. At 3 yrs old, he was subject to ritual emotional and physical abuse. Sick of their responsibilities, the couple eventually abandoned Crasper, 9 yrs at the time, and his sister to the foster care system, which separated the siblings. They never bothered to obtain citizenship for him.
The boy bounced from home to home and the Craspers eventually adopted him. Just when you thought things couldn't get worse. The Craspers' abuse of their children included breaking the boy's nose and burning his hands. The state eventually convicted the couple of mistreatment and sexual assault.
After the Craspers kicked him out of the house, Adam felt he had few options. He did brief stints in prison for burglary and assault. The burglary was for breaking back into the house to retrieve his personal belongings! He had difficulty finding a job because of his lack of citizenship and faced periodic homelessness. Once he applied for a green card, the authorities checked his background and initiated deportation proceedings last year.
In October, an immigration judge ruled that he should be deported to his native country of South Korea, though he has no connections there. Now 41 yrs old, a married man and father of 4, Casper has turned his life around. He asked for clemency but it fell on deaf ears. Two US Senators publicly supported him but the didn't change the outcome. Casper waived an appeal to leave detention and be with his family.
Here's a silver lining. The Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2015, sitting before Congress, applies the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 retroactively and grants citizenship even to those who've been deported. Let's pressure governments to pass it!
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This story has been shared by another author, here. The two of you should coordinate and talk about what to do next.
Thanks, yeah I've noticed that. I'm glad it's getting the publicity and attention it deserves. He deserves a pardon.
This kind of news is quite saddening. Hope everything turn out fine for the family in the end.