WASHINGTON (AP) — The Immigration and Naturalization Service has suspended the processing of adoption petitions in Cambodia, citing concerns over bought or stolen babies being sold to American parents.
"INS's responsibility to determine that a child is truly an orphan must never be tainted by any action that results in the exploitation of innocent children by separating them from their biological families as a result of fraud, trafficking in human beings or other criminal activity," INS Commissioner James Ziglar said in a statement late Friday.
The agency is also reviewing the adoption process for Vietnamese children.
A spokesman said the INS has been concerned about these adoptions for some time.
"We want to be sure that we are not facilitating baby-selling or kidnapping to provide children to American couples," INS spokesman Bill Strassberger said.
In November, the United States refused to give visas to 12 Cambodian infants and one Vietnamese baby who had been adopted by American parents. U.S. Ambassador Kent Wiedemann cited an investigation that found the babies may have been bought or stolen from their biological parents.