[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000-2001, Book III)]
[October 30, 2000]
[Page 2377]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Signing the Child Citizenship Act of 2000
October 30, 2000

    Today I am pleased to sign into law H.R. 2883, the ``Child 
Citizenship Act of 2000.'' This Act confers U.S. citizenship 
automatically upon certain foreign-born children, including those 
adopted by citizens of the United States, who do not acquire U.S. 
citizenship at birth. This Act eliminates the need in many instances for 
parents to apply to the Immigration and Naturalization Service for 
Certificates of Citizenship for their children who are not U.S. citizens 
at birth.
    Under prior law, foreign-born adopted children could be subject to 
removal if they did not acquire U.S. citizenship after being brought to 
the United States--even if they had lived their lives since infancy in 
the United States. While this Act will not remedy past cases where 
adopted children were deported, it will ensure that this unfortunate 
possibility will be eliminated for most noncitizen adopted children 
under the age of 18 and for all noncitizen children adopted into U.S. 
households in the future. I welcome this action to support families who 
adopt foreign-born children by removing an unnecessary impediment to 
citizenship for these and other foreign-born children.

                                                      William J. Clinton

 The White House,

 October 30, 2000.

Note: H.R. 2883, approved October 30, was assigned Public Law No. 106-
395.