Duval Times

Amid political and social turmoil in Haiti, children matched with American parents are currently waiting for approval from Haitian authorities to complete the adoption process. Several of these children will join families in Florida.

U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL), along with Representative Neal Dunn (R-FL), have sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas urging them to work with the Haitian government to expedite the adoption process.

"Given the hardships in Haiti, we request an expedited processing timeline in collaboration with Haitian authorities. The lack of accountability and oversight in Haiti’s institutions poses risks to vulnerable children, and delays exacerbate their vulnerability."

In March, Rubio had sent a letter to Secretary Blinken urging him to prioritize cases of orphaned children legally adopted by Americans.

The full text of the recent letter is below:

Dear Secretary Blinken and Secretary Mayorkas,

As members of Congress representing Florida, we write to express our deep concern regarding the current process and delays associated with Americans adopting Haitian children. These children deserve to be prioritized and brought home to their American families as soon as possible.

We represent families in Florida who have been struggling to get their children out of Haiti and to safety. Given the hardships in Haiti, we request an expedited processing timeline in collaboration with Haitian authorities. The lack of accountability and oversight in Haiti’s institutions poses risks to vulnerable children, and delays exacerbate their vulnerability.

As representatives of our constituents, we implore you to act swiftly and compassionately. The well-being of these children must be our top priority.

Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.

Sincerely,