An Iranian adoptee deportation fight in California has ignited fresh scrutiny of an old citizenship gap. The Iranian-born Christian woman entered the United States as a toddler, and she has lived here for decades. But the Department of Homeland Security ordered her to appear in removal proceedings because her visa expired in March 1974. She says deportation could be deadly because Iranian authorities target Christians and view U.S. ties with suspicion.
A Childhood Adoption, Then a Legal Oversight
An American Air Force veteran found her in an Iranian orphanage in the early 1970s and adopted her at age 2. Her family returned to the United States in 1973, and the adoption was finalized in 1975. Yet her citizenship status never became permanent. She learned of the oversight while applying for a passport at age 38. She has no criminal record, works in corporate health care, pays taxes, and owns a home.
Hearing Delayed as Supporters Push Back
A judge postponed her hearing to next month and agreed she does not need to appear in person. That decision eased fears of detention at the courthouse, but the case still threatens her future. Supporters call the situation “un-American and unconscionable,” and they argue the government should not deport someone raised in the U.S. They also say the Iranian adoptee deportation fight exposes how paperwork failures can upend stable lives.
Detractors Cite Enforcement and Legal Limits
Detractors point to immigration enforcement rules and argue that expired status can still trigger removal. They also say Congress wrote the law with clear limits, so agencies must follow it. But advocates counter that adoptive parents once had to complete separate naturalization steps, and many never knew.
Lawmakers Weigh Fixes as Iran Risks Intensify
The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 granted automatic citizenship to many adoptees, but it excluded those who were over 18 and those born before Feb. 27, 1983. A bipartisan bill, the Protect Adoptees and American Families Act, would close that loophole. Meanwhile, Christian advocates warn that Iran treats converts as security threats, and a joint report documented arrests and longer sentences in 2025. Iran also ranks 10th on the Open Doors 2026 World Watch List, so supporters fear deportation could amount to a death sentence.
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Iranian Christian who came to US as an adopted orphan fears deportation would be a death sentence
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