Korean American Communities organizes campaign for Adam Crapser
Two Korean American Adoptees Supporting on His Hearing on December 10th
Korean American organizations are in support of Adam Crapser (Song Hyuk Shin), a Korean American adoptee from Oregon.
On November 24th, NAKASEC (National Korean American Service & Education Consortium) announced that they are launching an Adoptee Rights Campaign to support the estimated 18,000 Korean American adoptees that do not have U.S. Citizenship.
To support Adam to get removed from deportation proceedings, NAKASEC pleaded others to take any or all of these actions:
· Sign a petition of Adam being removed from deportation proceeds
· Donate to the Adoptee Defense Fund to cover the legal and counseling fees for Adam and adoptees similarly situated (http://adopteedefense.nakasec.net/ko/)
· Send a public statement or an organizational letter to support Adam
· Attend Adam’s hearing on December 10th
For more support, NAKASEC is sending two Korean American adoptees at Adam’s immigration hearing on December 10th.
Adam Crapser was first adopted by a Michigan couple at the age of 3 in 1979. He was abused physically and emotionally from his adoptive family. After five years of suffering, he was relinquished back to the authorities and was separated from his biological sister.
Though Adam was late rehomed to an Oregon family, neither of Adam’s adoptive families naturalized Crapser as an American citizen. For four years, he faced physical and mental abuse at his new home. His adoptive parents told Adam to “forget all the memories of Korea.” They also burned Adam’s hands and broke his nose for preposterous reason—not being able to find car keys.
Adam’s adoptive parents were convicted in 1992 on multiple counts of child abuse and sexual abuse. Despite of their conviction, they were charged for just 90 days in prison. In 2012, Adam finally got his adoption paperwork from his adoptive family.
Trying to survive as a homeless, he was charged for burglary, one of which was for breaking into his parents’home to retrieve a Korean Bible, rubber shoes, and adoption paperwork.
Though he resident status was illegal, he opened a barber shop to support his family. He got married and has four children. Though he is in a stabilized setting, he is currently in placed of deportation proceedings.
Since 2000, all the adoptees under 18 automatically receive U.S. Citizenship, according to the Child Citizenship Act of 2000. Unfortunately, Adam was not qualified for this benefit, since he was adopted in 1979.
To help Adam Crapser, who is facing deportation to Korea, NAKASEC, KABA (Korean American Bar Association), KAC-WA, and KAC-OR are supporting him through their participation in this campaign.