Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (R) and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev arrive for the final Cabinet meeting of the year at the government headquarters in Moscow , on December 27, 2012. Putin told today a meeting of top officials in the Kremlin he intended to sign into law a bill banning Americans from adopting Russian children that has raised tensions between Moscow and Washington. AFP PHOTO / RIA-NOVOSTI /POOL/ DMITRY ASTAKHOV (Photo credit should read DMITRY ASTAKHOV/AFP/Getty Images)
(CBS) — The president and CEO of The Cradle Adoptions agency in Evanston says there are some Chicago area families who are in limbo now that Russia appears to be shutting the door on U.S. adoptions.
“Kids have been matched with families here in the United States and from all appearances will not be permitted to proceed with those placements,” Julie Tye tells CBS 2’s Steve Miller.
Tye says about four dozen children who would have been matched with families all over America are being affected.
“And these families, they’ve jumped through all of the hoops. To get this far down the process and to be matched with a child and then have that process put on hold is so emotionally wrenching,” Tye says.
She is encouraging the Chicago area families — and others — to contact their senators and congressmen to ask them to urge Russia to let those adoptions already in progress to proceed.
CBS 2’s Mike Puccinelli talked with the Fong family on Northbrook. They already adopted a daughter, Eliana, from Russia and were in the process of trying to adopt a son.
But prospects look bleak, says mother Natasha Fong, who spent Thursday morning crying.
“We were expecting to bring a child home, and if we cannot do that, we lose a member of our family,” she said.
