PORTAGE, Mich. (WOOD) – A Portage family in the process of adopting a child from Haiti is desperate to get him out of the country quickly.
Ten-year-old Dieumy finds himself in a country where gangs have taken over most of the capital, Port-au-Prince. The Bryant family is worried about his son’s safety, but isn’t sure when they will be able to take him home.
Although they’ve only known him for a few months, Rachel and Nick Bryant already feel a loving connection to Dieumy. Their only way to communicate is through an application called WhatsApp, something they do every Monday.
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“Even through an app, we get love from him,” Nick Bryant said.
The adoption process began in December 2020. The Bryants knew it would be a long journey to adopt their little one. They thought the trip would end soon and that Dieumy would return home late this year or early next year. But that has been slowed by the recent chaos in the country.
“The offices there were ransacked, there was paperwork everywhere,” Rachel Bryant said.
Haiti has been in crisis for decades and the gang problem is worse than ever. Armed groups have burned police stations and released prisoners.
“It pretty much stopped that process,” Rachel Bryant said.
The Bryants are afraid of what might happen.
“We are concerned for his safety and we know he is in danger,” Rachel Bryant said.
He has lost sleep over this.
“We’re thousands of miles from Dieumy, but I worry about him every minute of every day,” Rachel Bryant said.
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But this couple isn’t just sitting and waiting. They are busy, working to try to bring Dieumy home.
“We send messages daily to those representatives’ offices, emails to the state department, asking what’s next and what we can do,” Rachel Bryant said.
In a statement, Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, said his office is working with West Michigan families who adopt internationally.
Dieumy and 70 other Haitian children who are in the process of being adopted could enter the country if the United States government declares humanitarian parole.
“We are just asking the United States government to approve this legal avenue,” said Nick Bryant.
In a statement, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said it was working as quickly as possible while complying with U.S. laws, Haiti and Hague Convention obligations.
“Certain children identified by (the State Department) and (the Department of Homeland Security) with final adoption orders issued by Haitian authorities were allowed to travel to the United States and be considered for parole. Decisions and procedures related to compassionate parole are functions of DHS. “We continue working to identify solutions for children who do not have an adoption decree,” the spokesperson wrote.
“Let them come home, let them be here,” Rachel Bryant said. “Our hearts are ready, our house is ready”
This family of four hopes to soon become a family of five. But they’re not sure when that will happen.
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“Yesterday he said we asked him, ‘What are you waiting for?’ and he said, ‘Love and affection,’” Nick Bryant said.
The full statement from the State Department is below.
The Department of State is working as quickly as possible to identify options to continue case processing and assisted release of Haitian children in the international adoption process, while complying with U.S., Haitian, and our laws and regulations. obligations of the Hague Convention, as well as minimizes the risk of Haitian children coming to the United States without a clear path to legal status.
Due to significant security concerns in Haiti, the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) coordinated to assist certain adopted Haitian children who were already in the Hague Adoption Convention process to leave Haiti.
Certain children identified by DOS and DHS with final adoption orders issued by Haitian authorities were allowed to travel and be considered for parole in the United States. Decisions and procedures related to compassionate parole are functions of DHS.
We continue working to identify solutions for children who do not have an adoption decree. We encourage adoption service providers to continue processing cases in Haiti when circumstances allow.
Prospective adoptive parents should remain in regular contact with their adoption service providers in the United States.
US State Department Spokesperson
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