Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law Friday that bans Americans from adopting Russian children. With Russia being the third most popular country for Americans to adopt, the ban will restrict many families from adopting.
"There will be a lot of families that will be looking to adopt internationally and it will become more difficult and a large process for all families when this happens," says Lori Scott, Executive Director at Little Miracles.
Little Miracles International Adoption says that they will be greatly affected by the new ban. They have been in Amarillo since 1999. They do international adoption and humanitarian aid for disadvantage and at-risk and vulnerable children throughout the world.
While there are countless children here in the United States that are available for adoption, many still decide to look overseas. One main reason is to establish a closed adoption. Scott explains that for many closed adoption is a preferred agreement. With closed adoptions "there would be no contact with the birth family."
The ban is widely known to be in retaliation to President Barack Obama's new human rights law that Putin believes is poisoning relations. Officials say the ban will take effect January 1st.
Scott tells us that not only will those hoping to adopt children from Russia will be affected, but all families looking to find children from overseas will be impacted one way or another.
