BOISE — Micaela DeVine, 5, tossed and turned in the lap of her mother, Susan. She played with her hair and drew on purple paper, oblivious to the amplified voice of a U.S. senator or the hullabaloo around her that marked a passage in her young life — her new American citizenship.
It may be a distinction only on paper, said Susan DeVine, who adopted Micaela from China.
"She's been a citizen in our hearts from the beginning," Devine said.
Micaela, her family and others with children from Korea, China, Africa and Mexico came to Boise City Hall on Friday to celebrate the Child Citizenship Act, signed into law by President Bill Clinton last October.
The law, co-sponsored by Idaho Sen. Larry Craig, became effective Feb. 27 — creating 75,000 new American citizens that day, including Micaela.
DeVine adopted Micaela two years ago and saw how quickly the little girl adapted to her new surroundings. As did her friend Meili Robbins, 10.
Meili has a hearing impairment. Her mother, Cheryl, adopted her in Wuhan, China, two years ago. Robbins specifically requested a hearing-impaired child because her biological daughter, Courtney, 15, also is hearing-impaired. "Meili didn't have language skills before she came here. She may not understand the difference this law makes, but she sure understands the difference being here (in America) has made," Robbins said.
Although citizenship for many Friday was a formality, it's still important to draw attention to domestic and foreign adoption, Robbins said.
The law effectively removed one more obstacle for American parents who adopt children from a foreign country. Parents had to go through a lengthy and expensive process to obtain naturalization for their children.
From China, Sharolyn and Warren Ririe have adopted three daughters — Lora, 5, Camille, 3, and Shanae, 17 months. Lora and Camille went though the old process.
"You go through so much paperwork for the adoption. Then you had to do it all again. Now, I don't have to. It's a relief," Sharolyn Ririe said.
Because the process was so cumbersome, many parents opted not to do it. Allison and Sarah Burley, 17-year-old twin sisters originally from Pusan, Korea, also became citizens under this law.
Nationally, about 15,000 children are adopted each year from countries all over the globe.
M. Blaine Dahlstrom, officer in charge for the Immigration and Naturalization Service in Idaho, said the new citizens still need to have proof of citizenship. Parents can gain that by getting a certificate of citizenship from the INS or by simply getting a passport.