After the earthquake in Haiti, Senator Thune sent a letter to Secretaries Clinton and Napolitano asking that the Departments of State and Homeland Security work jointly to establish a process to grant humanitarian parole, emergency visas, or similar emergency immigration assistance to children whose adoptions have been finalized by the Haitian judicial system. Senator Thune also asked them to work closely with the Haitian government to establish an agreement to allow for the quick dispensation of the judicial requirements for children who have been matched with an adoptive family but whose adoptions have not yet been approved by the Haitian government. Two days after he sent the letter, the Department of Homeland Security announced that humanitarian parole will be granted to children with pending adoptions who had been previously matched with an American family. Senator Thune's staff is working closely with three families in South Dakota and all will be united with their children soon. In response to the announcement about humanitarian parole, he also joined 43 other members of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption on a letter to Secretary Clinton underscoring the importance of a comprehensive, coordinated humanitarian parole plan that will allow these children to be evacuated and united with their new families as soon as possible. Senator Thune also became a cosponsor of the Haiti Assistance Income Tax Incentive (HAITI) Act (S.2936). This bill would allow financial contributions made by U.S. taxpayers to qualifying organizations for Haiti relief efforts through March 1, 2010 to be claimed on their 2009 income tax returns. More Haiti News:Sen. Thune Works To Expedite Haitian Adoption Sen. Thune Supports Tax Incentive for Donations to Haiti Relief Efforts |
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