Mr. President. the amendment I am offering would change the process of naturalizing foreignborn children being adopted by U.S. citizens from a judicial proceeding to an administrative one. Streamlining this process will accomplish at least two important goals: first. it will allow the Immigration and Naturalization Service to operate more efficiently. and. second. it will spare parents and children the anguish of having to go through the current lengthy court proceedings. Mr. President. this problem was brought to my attention by a number of New Jersey parents. who told me of delayed. anguishing proceedings they had faced when trying to adopt minor children. One such constituent received her baby in December 1981. She filed Application to File a Petition for Naturalization on Behalf of a Child (Form N402) in February 1983. had a preliminary hearing on April 18. 1984. She is still waiting for the final hearing to determine whether their infants are of good moral character. In other words. her child has been in the United States for more than 4 years and is still not a citizen.
Keywords matched
Naturalization Immigration naturalizing