Families from Tennessee to California Pursue Humanitarian Parole for Adopted Haitian Children

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Esai Reed, just six years old, has faced three emergency evacuations from orphanages in Haiti as rampant gang violence disrupts the country. Gangs have taken control of nearly 80% of the capital, leaving children in vulnerable situations.

Currently, Esai is in northern Haiti, under the care of a U.S. organization, after the director of his last orphanage fled the escalating violence. For nearly five months, Esai has been unable to contact his adoptive mother in Florida or his two older brothers due to interruptions in internet service and logistical issues.

“Clearly, this is an emergency,” said Michelle Reed, a 51-year-old teacher and single mother. She is among 55 families, from Tennessee to California, who are seeking humanitarian parole from the U.S. government for about 70 children they are in the process of adopting.

This situation mirrors a recent crisis when over a dozen children were evacuated earlier this year, as gangs targeted vital infrastructure and forced the closure of Haiti’s main international airport for nearly three months. A number of U.S. citizens and 39 children with finalized adoption decrees were evacuated during that period.

Reed and other families were initially informed they would also be included in the evacuation, but later updates from the U.S. government stated that despite extensive efforts, a solution for children without finalized adoption decrees could not be found.

“We understand this update will be disappointing for both you and your child(ren),” the Office of Children’s Issues at the Department of State communicated in a letter.

Families expressed concern over the requirement for children to travel to Port-au-Prince—an area largely dominated by gangs—to obtain necessary visa and passport documents, as well as medical exams for adoptions to be completed.

Emmerson, who asked that his last name be withheld for safety concerns, questioned, “Why aren’t they doing that for our kids?” He and his wife are adopting their niece and nephew, and they have been unable to ensure the children’s safety.

Reed noted that the Haitian Central Adoption Authority has authorized permissions for the children to exit the country and finalize their adoptions in the U.S. However, a spokesperson from the State Department indicated that not all Haitian authorities agree with that plan. The process remains complicated as they work to adhere to legal measures.

The United States aims to expedite the processing of additional children for adoption, but acknowledges operational challenges caused by ongoing violence, with legal offices functioning intermittently or at reduced capacity.

“The Department understands and empathizes with the concerns and frustration of U.S. families adopting from Haiti,” the spokesperson added.

Stéphane Vincent, director of Haiti’s Directorate of Immigration and Emigration, has not responded to inquiries regarding this matter.

The Department of Homeland Security advised that humanitarian parole is feasible for a limited number of Haitian adoptees at a specific stage of their adoption process. They emphasized that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is collaborating with other government partners to navigate these ongoing challenges.

The families’ situations have been further complicated by a strike among Haitian judges and others leaving the country due to the pervasive violence, hampering the judicial processes that impact adoption.

Recent United Nations reports indicate that since Haiti’s judicial year began in October 2023, courts have only functioned for about ten days.

Support for the families comes from lawmakers, including U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown, Marco Rubio, and Rick Scott, who have engaged with the Department of State and Department of Homeland Security on their behalf.

The U.S. has maintained a “do not travel” advisory for Haiti due to the risk of violent crime, kidnapping, and assaults, continually noting that its ability to assist citizens in Haiti is severely restricted.

In recent months, at least 1,379 individuals were reported killed or injured, and another 428 were kidnapped, mostly in Port-au-Prince. The rise in gang violence has resulted in significant homelessness, affecting over 700,000 people, half of whom are children.

William O’Neill, the UN’s independent human rights expert on Haiti, described the situation as worrying due to the ongoing insecurity.

In response to this crisis, Kenyan police, part of a U.N.-backed mission, have only recently begun joint operations with local police amid discussions of a potential U.N. peacekeeping mission due to resource constraints.

“The children are at great risk,” emphasized Diane Kunz, executive director of the Center for Adoption Policy. She noted that the U.S. State Department has expressed concerns about guaranteeing the safety of American citizens in Haiti.

Back in Florida, Reed is worried for Esai’s well-being as she comforts his older brothers, who have their own traumatic pasts after being physically and sexually abused at the orphanage they fled from nearly two years ago. The boys, aged eight and ten, are especially concerned for their younger brother.

“The boys are afraid for him, and they don’t want to talk about it,” Reed mentioned, revealing that they were unaware they had a brother when she adopted them.

She recounted the many sleepless nights her older sons spent holding each other close, scared and having nightmares after arriving in the U.S.

Another family, Emmerson and his wife, are equally immersed in this pursuit, sharing their difficulties in navigating the life-threatening situations in Haiti. After a tragic event where Emmerson’s mother passed away due to a heart attack during a gang raid, the urgent need for their niece and nephew’s safety became paramount.

“They were shooting, and she passed away,” he sadly recalled, highlighting their trauma. They haven’t been able to visit their family in Haiti for nearly a year due to the ongoing violence.

The children moved to a region in southwest Haiti where their family is now running out of food due to gang control of main roads. Emmerson expressed his deep concern over what dangers await the children if forced to complete the paperwork in Port-au-Prince.

In California, Angela is trying to adopt a five-year-old girl who has also been moved multiple times due to evacuations. She detailed a frightening incident when gunfire erupted while she was on the phone with the orphanage, highlighting the immediate risks faced by the children.

“It’s just not right for these children to be thrown into the war zone to meet requirements that could easily be waived,” said Reed, advocating for the safety of these children. “We want our children evacuated to safety so we have children to adopt. We don’t want them to die in Haiti.”