This Week
Let Our Baby Go
INS probe halts Cambodian adoption, preventing Commerce couple from bringing home their baby.
HARRY KIRS BAUM
StaffWriter .
T
o Orna and Reid Willis of Commerce
Township, the photographs of the 3 72-
month-old girl named Koun Nga hang-
ing on their refrigerator are pictures of
their new baby.
This month, if things were on schedule, they
would be on their way to bring Koun Nga, now 7
months old, home from a Cambodian orphanage.
However, concerns regarding bought or stolen for-
eign orphans prompted the U.S. Immigration and
Naturalization Service (INS) to put a halt to their
dreams — and the dreams of countless others hop-
ing to adopt from Cambodia and Vietnam.
Baby trafficking is at the heart of the INS investi-
gation that halted all U.S. adoptions in Cambodia.
On Dec. 21, INS Commissioner James Ziglar
announced an immediate suspension of the process-
ing of adoption petitions in Cambodia and a review
of the adoption process in Vietnam.
The Willises agree the situation is deplorable, but
they insist it has nothing to do with them.
"We've done everything right, and so did the
adoption agency," she said, the distress evident in
her voice. "All of us are stuck in a position where the
baby is sitting in the orphanage waiting for us, but
we can't go there and bring her back because they
are checking other agencies and orphanages."
The couple planned to travel to Cambodia togeth-
er, and spend no more than 10 days there.
INS spokesman Bill Strassberger said, "We
empathize with the families, but trying to find a
quick solution is not going to be easy."
He said the INS has serious concerns about what
is taking place in Cambodia, where it's not unlawful
for a child to be sold for adoption.
"That in itself is contrary to U.S. law," Strassberger said.
A child who has been bought, sold or stolen does
not qualify for a visa.
"We suspended the process and are working with
the Cambodian government to find a system that
will meet requirements of both Cambodian and
U.S. law," Strassberger said.
,
The Process
Less than a year ago, Orna and Reid, who have been
married nine years, decided to adopt a baby. He
raised his 22-year-old daughter, Shiri Bilik, but now
that she is graduating from the University of
Michigan, they decided to adopt and raise a child
together.
"Because we're in our 40s, domestic adoption was
out of the question;" demand is high and priority is
given to younger, first-time parents, said Orna, a
work-at-home artist.
Knowing that some countries and agencies had
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2002
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Nga's room, transforming cream-col-
ored walls to a green diamond pattern.
Orna sewed the curtains herself.
The only things she's allowed herself
to buy are children's books, including
books in Hebrew meant for adopted
children.
"We have a room prepared, but we
don't have furniture because I'm scared
to even start with this," she said.
The Willises are a quiet couple, not
used to being in the limelight, but they
know these are special circumstances,
they say.
"If you're not going through this you
just don't know," said Reid Willis, a
patent agent for Dow Chemical and a
law school student at Wayne State
University.
"For people like Commissioner
Ziglar, people like us are 'considering'
adoption. It's inaccurate. We're not
considering adoption. As far as we're
concerned, our daughter is stuck in
Orna and Reid Willis of Commerce Township in the room they've
Cambodia."
prepared for their adopted daughter, Koun Nga, who is in the
Linda Yellin, a Farmington Hills
photograph they hold.
adoption therapist for 20 years, said
that attachments between couples and
trouble with baby trafficking, they searched for an
an adoptive child begin early.
agency that met the highest standards of caring.
"In most of the situations, when a match occurs
They found Adopt Cambodia, an agency in
months prior, the family will become attached and
Maine run by retired pediatrician Dr. Nancy
this is positive in many ways," Yellin said.
Hendrie, who also runs a foundation in Cambodia
While most adoptions go through without many
to take care of the community surrounding the
glitches, occasionally some get stopped abruptly.
orphanage.
"From an emotional component, that is a very,
Impressed by the agency, they decided to adopt a
very trying situation when people think of a particu-
Cambodian child, said Orna, who was born in Israel
lar child and have that child in their hearts and their
and moved back and forth to Michigan before set-
minds," Yellin said.
ding here 10 years ago.
In April, they began the adoption process.
"We did everything we needed to do," she said.
The Pressure
"The home study — where they come to visit to see
In January, the INS allowed 30 U.S. families to go
who you are — police reports, references, every-
to Cambodia to bring their adoptive children back.
thing."
"They were in the pipeline," Orna said. Now she
In July, the couple received final approval from the wants her representatives to help her get another
INS to adopt two children, one now and another six
pipeline going.
months later.
Parents have traveled to Cambodia and, under
"Within a short time, we got a referral for a baby
Cambodian law, are the legal parents of these chil-
who was brought to the agency. Koun Nga was 3 72
dren, but they are unable to get the necessary U.S.
months old when she was brought to the orphanage
visas for the children, according to Nancy Fox,
in October. We have pictures and a full medical
director of the Troy-based Americans for
report from Dr. Hendrie."
International Aid and Adoption. "There is no proof
At one point, the INS sat with Dr. Hendrie, who
that any wrongdoing has taken place.
travels to Cambodia frequently to give physicals to
"Some families have taken up residence in
the children. INS agents saw how all the papers were Cambodia to not leave their children," she said.
in order and open, Orna said. They were impressed
A coalition of congressmen is looking for a deci-
and sent a glowing report to the agency. Despite the
sion to resolve the problem so visas can be issued
report, the adoption is on hold.
again, or to come up with proof why these visas
So the Willises must wait. They painted Koun
shouldn't be issued, said Fox, whose nonprofit