On Wednesday January 20, word began to spread in the Indianapolis area that possibly 300 children would be airlifted from Haiti to Indiana to foster homes and 75 families were listed as interested in adopting the children according to this blog: http://safefamilieshaiti.blogspot.com/ This blog further stated “DCS in Indianapolis is working with 3 orphanages on the ground in Haiti. Republic airlines is trying to transport the children out of the country.”
Subsequent to PEAR’s call to the Indiana DCS Ombudsman office in which we were informed that no children were to be slated to be airlifted to Indiana, they released the following statement: http://www.in.gov/dcs/
"DCS Statement about Haitian children
Rumors are circulating today that orphaned children from Haiti are headed to Indiana. These rumors are not true.
As the terrible news from Haiti became known, Governor Daniels directed the Department of Child Services to learn more about how the state might assist. Meanwhile, indications of interest have come from good-hearted Hoosiers offering to help.
It is far from clear that any more children will be permitted to leave Haiti. Approval from both the United States and Haiti governments would be necessary.
When there is additional information to share, we will provide it. For today, we want to address the growing rumor: There are no Haitian children headed to Indiana nor are any arrivals imminent."
Only children in the adoption process prior to the earthquake that have been granted immigration visas or humanitarian parole will be allowed into the US.
We ask that the general public, all organizations, churches and local governments heed the information coming out of the Department of State at http://www.adoption.state.gov/ and defer to Secretary Janet Napolitano’s statement http://pear-now.blogspot.com/2010/01/update-secretary-napolitano-announces.html in matters related to children entering the US from Haiti.
Reputable adoption agencies are not accepting applicants at this time and anyone claiming to be bringing large numbers of children to the US is not being truthful.
The radio show Creating a Family http://www.creatingafamily.org/index.php had guests from USCIS and DOS today who explained that children are being placed on planes by embassy personnel and sent to the US on aircraft returning from Humanitarian aid missions. The airline, Republic Airways, local to Indiana supplied the plane for humanitarian aid that eventually airlifted 53 children from Haiti to Florida and then to Pittsburgh. http://www.travelpulse.com/Resources/Editorial.aspx?n=66188
Children without identified parents should not be coming to the US despite the actions of Governor Rendell of PA.
Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/
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