A man who was adopted from South Korea as a toddler and brought to the United States landed in his home country this week. He doesn’t know the language and he hasn’t been there since he was a toddler. He was deported from the United States because he has criminal convictions. He was convicted of assault and possessing a gun as a felony.
Adam Crapser, 41, landed in Seoul, South Korea on Thursday. He traveled on a commercial flight and was escorted by officers from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
He was arrested on February 8 after serving a 60-day sentence for domestic violence and attempted coercion. He was held in an immigration detention center in Tacoma, Washington. A judge could’ve allowed him to stay but decided against it.
His attorney, Lori Walls, said:
“The U.S. government facilitated the adoption out of Korea. No one followed up to make sure he was safe. When that first family abandoned him to foster care he was not visible — there was no follow-up.”
Crapser and his sister never attained U.S. citizenship after they got into foster care. They were adopted together as toddlers. They were abandoned and split up. Adam was adopted again, but those parents turned out to be abusive.
He was arrested as a teenager for breaking into their house. He wanted his adoption papers and a Bible that he had from South Korea. Now, he is married, has four children, and owns a barber shop.
His birth mother has been located and says she is learning to speak English, so she can talk to him when they reunite. Hopefully, Crapser can learn to read and speak the language.
Walls also said:
“I spoke with Adam a couple of days ago. He was trying to stay positive, but I mean it was clear talking to him that he was scared. He’s going to a country where he can’t even read the street signs.”
This man shouldn’t be forced to leave his family and children. Adopted children are supposed to be granted citizenship, but that doesn’t apply for adoptions before 1983. He was told that he could appeal to be allowed to come back to the United States, but it would be an “uphill battle.”
Watch this clip to hear from the man caught up in all of this mess:
https://youtu.be/tj9K9VkccZ4
Featured image via YouTube screenshot.
