U.S. To Curb Baby Adoptions From Romania

WASHINGTON - Immigration authorities moved yesterday to restrict the adoption of Romanian babies by Americans, saying that only orphans or abandoned children will be allowed to enter the United States after Aug. 15.

Under federal law, abandoned children or orphans who are adopted by Americans can enter the country on immigrant visas.

But to cope with a flood of adoptions in Romania by American parents, the INS has allowed 177 children into the country even though they had parents in Romania, said spokesman Duke Austin.

Since the December 1989 revolution in Romanian, 5,000 children have been adopted by Westerners. Some 1,500 Americans have adopted children from the troubled Eastern European country since the downfall of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.

U.S. immigration authorities have found evidence "that some of these kids were purchased" by Americans, said a government source.

Last week, Romania enacted a new law designed to end black-market sales of babies.

It suspends adoptions until Nov. 1 and sets prison terms of up to five years for people who make or receive illegal fees for adoptions.