ODESSA, TX — This week, the Foreman family, a local family from Odessa, was finally united with their adopted daughter after she had been stuck in a state of uncertainty in Haiti due to the government being overthrown in 2024. Since learning of this issue, Congressman Pfluger has advocated on behalf of the Foreman family to expedite their unification process.
"I am thrilled that the Forman Family has finally been united with their daughter," Congressman Pfluger said. "Their successful unification marks a major milestone in the ongoing effort to bring children home amid the crisis in Haiti. I will continue to advocate on behalf of all the other children who are still waiting to be united with their adopted families."
"After almost two years of waiting to bring our daughter home from Haiti, we cannot express how thankful we are to finally have her here with us," Haley Foreman said. "We are beyond grateful for the support of Congressman Pfluger and his staff in getting Thara home. We can also speak to the gratitude of the 50+ additional families from all over the United States who have benefited from Congressman Pfluger’s willingness to advocate and fight for these children to get home to their American families. These children deserve the gift of being united with their forever families, and we could not be happier that our daughter is home with us."
Pictured: Craig and Haley Foreman being united with their daughter, Thara.
Background:
In March 2024, Haiti’s state institutions collapsed due to escalating gang violence and political instability, leaving hundreds of orphans in perilous conditions. Many of these orphans, waiting for adoption by American families, found themselves trapped and in danger, as the security situation worsened, halting or delaying their reunification with their new families.
In addition to his previous advocacy and work, Rep. Pfluger led a letter earlier this year, alongside several of his colleagues, urging the Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention heads to address the urgent and dangerous situation Haitian orphans face during the adoption process.
The letter highlighted the severe crisis in Haiti, where gangs control much of the capital and children are at increasing risk. The letter requested immediate action, including waiving medical exams, allowing virtual visa interviews, and permitting humanitarian parole for adoptees. Additionally, it emphasized that previous accommodations were made during a similar crisis and urged the U.S. to prioritize the children's safety over bureaucratic processes.
See the full letter HERE or read the full text below.
"Dear Secretary Rubio, Secretary Noem, and Director Weldon,
I/we are writing with extreme urgency regarding the life-threatening situation facing Haitian orphans currently in the process of adoption by American families. Bureaucratic requirements currently being enforced by holdovers of the Biden Administration’s Department of State are placing these children in grave and unnecessary danger amid what experts consider the most severe crisis in Haiti's modern history. Further, Mayorkas’ Department of Homeland Security personnel continue to refuse to consider Humanitarian Parole options for these endangered adoptees.
The severity of the current situation cannot be overstated. Armed gangs now control 85 percent of Port-au-Prince, rendering routine travel potentially lethal. The United Nations reports 700,000 displaced persons and widespread child recruitment into gangs. The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) describes Haiti as 'one of the worst places in the world for children,' with gang recruitment of children increasing by 70 percent. The security situation has deteriorated so severely that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has extended flight restrictions until March 2025 due to gangs firing on American aircraft. In an unprecedented move, Doctors Without Borders suspended operations in Port-au-Prince for the first time in 30 years.
The humanitarian crisis has reached catastrophic levels. Orphanage directors report they are struggling to feed children in their care. The UN BINUH Representative describes this crisis as an existential threat to Haitian society, with children bearing the heaviest burden. The Multinational Security Support mission remains outmatched and under-resourced, failing to make progress against the gangs that terrorize the city.
Despite these extraordinary dangers, Blinken’s State Department personnel in the Office of Child Issues continue to require adoptive children to travel through gang-controlled areas for in-person visa interviews and medical examinations. Medical exam costs have quadrupled to $800, while historical data shows these examinations rarely identify health issues requiring treatment.
This requirement becomes even more questionable when considering that Mayorkas’ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) admitted millions of migrants across the Southwest Border without such medical requirements.
We urgently request three immediate actions from your agencies and Departments. First, waive the medical examination and vaccination requirements. Second, transition all adoptees to virtual visa interviews. Third, work with the Haitian government to permit humanitarian parole for the children who have secured Article 5 authorization from the U.S. Embassy in Port au Prince. These requests mirror successful accommodations made in April and May, which enabled 39 adoptees to safely depart Haiti. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department demonstrated flexibility by allowing telehealth assessments - similar adaptability is critically needed now.
The current situation demands immediate action. The Biden Administration repeatedly failed to act with the same sense of urgency they exhibited in April and May when process exceptions were made to rescue 39 adoptees from Haiti during a spiraling crisis. By all available metrics, conditions in Haiti are far worse now than they were in April and May. Yet Blinken’s Department of State personnel continue signaling as recently as mid-January 2025 that DoS and Haitian processes are working normally. We implore you, in accordance with President Trump’s support for families, to prioritize these children's safety over administrative procedures. American families are waiting to welcome these children home but every day of delay exposes them to extreme danger in Haiti. Your willingness to adapt these requirements in the face of this severe humanitarian crisis will demonstrate your recognition of the gravity of conditions on the ground and your commitment to putting children's safety at the forefront of decision-making.
Your immediate attention and response to this urgent matter is crucial.
Sincerely,"
Subscribe to the LIVE! Daily
Required
Post a comment to this article here: