China halts international adoptions, affecting American families

Many American families are waiting to adopt special needs children from China but find themselves in an uncertain situation. In August 2024, China banned all international adoptions, leaving these families with no options. Penelope, an 11-year-old girl, is one of the children affected. She has been matched with her American parents, Aimee and Stephen Welch, since she was five. The family has been preparing for her arrival for years, but they still have not been able to bring her home. “We’ve lived in a state of hope and preparation,” Aimee said. She and her husband have done everything they can to be ready for Penelope, who remains in her orphanage. About 270 American families were in similar situations. They were approved to adopt before the ban took effect. Some had been preparing since 2018, like Meghan and David Biggs, who have been eager to adopt a 10-year-old boy named Xiao Tang. They have been in contact with him and feel a connection. Despite their preparations, they were also left hanging after the ban was announced. Since 1992, China allowed many international adoptions, allowing more than 160,000 children to be adopted globally. However, these recent changes mean that now, only stepchildren and relatives can be adopted by foreign families. The Chinese government recently shifted its focus toward having families in China take in more children as the country faces a low birth rate. Families like the Welches and Biggs continue to advocate for their children. They are reaching out to U.S. lawmakers and hoping for the government's help. A bipartisan group of 105 lawmakers has urged President Trump to discuss completing these pending adoptions with China's President Xi Jinping. The families hope to give these children the loving homes they need.