Woman Adopted 21 Children From Overseas, But People Trafficking Ruled Out

A woman investigated for people trafficking went on to adopt
10 more young people from overseas – 21 in
total.

Legislation going through Parliament will
ensure international adoptions from countries not compliant
with Hague Convention rules will have to go through the
Family Court.

Briefings to Immigration Minister Erica
Stanford show some of the concerns that prompted action on
child welfare, immigration and citizenship rules.

They
detail how a 21-year-old Samoan woman adopted by her great
aunt was applying for a dependent child category resident
visa.

“The adoptive mother was investigated by NZ
Police in 2017 for alleged people trafficking. At the time,
INZ [Immigration New Zealand] was aware of 11 adopted
children and NZ Police concluded the evidence obtained did
not fulfil the requirements of people
trafficking. However, the police interview did raise
concerns that the adoptive mother was controlling all
aspects of her adopted children’s lives, including their
finances.

“INZ has concerns due to the number of
children adopted by the supporting parent as this is the
21st adoption, in addition to her five biological
children.”

Immigration New Zealand had interviewed the
applicant, her birth parents, and adoptive parents who
confirmed the woman would be expected to give her earnings
to her adoptive mother.

“There are no requirements for
assessments of suitability of adoptive applicants by child
welfare and protection agencies [under section 17 of the
Adoption Act]. Legal Samoan adoptions meet the requirement
of s17 and under Samoan legislation children can be adopted
up to the age of 20. There are no limits under immigration
instructions to the number of adopted children a parent can
support where s17 is met.”

Eleven people in two-bed
flat

INZ also flagged the case of a 39-year-old woman
from Kiribati, who was applying for a partnership resident
visa and who had nine adopted children.

“During the
interview it became clear there was limited planning in
place for how the couple intended to provide for an
11-person family on one income and that the couple currently
lives in a two-bedroom flat.”

“[She] has been assessed
as meeting partnership resident instructions and the
adoptions are all legal and meet requirements, so it is
likely the residence application will be
approved.”

Officials said they would discuss the wider
adoption issue with the Kiribati judiciary.

In another
briefing, officials raised nine visa applications made
within four months for children or young people adopted by a
40-year-old Kiribati woman.

“The supporting parent was
interviewed as part of the assessment of the applications.
In the interview, the supporting parent explained that some
of the applicants are biologically related to each other,
and to her partner, albeit distant relatives, while others
are not related and are children of family
friends.

“[She] stated that all nine applicants will
reside with her, her partner, and four biological children
in her six-bedroom home, and she intends to support them
until they can establish independent lives of their
own.”

The government put a temporary halt to
recognising some international adoptions for immigration and
citizenship purposes last September and introduced a bill to
Parliament in May to make permanent changes.

Associate
Justice Minister Nicole McKee said it clarified when
adoptions would be accepted.

“The reforms to the
system will mean there are two pathways for children adopted
overseas by New Zealand citizens to automatically become New
Zealand citizens, either under the process in the Hague
Convention, or in the New Zealand Family
Court.”

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