Support the Amerasian Homecoming Act of 1989, 2017 amendment

The Issue

There wasn't a specific 2017 amendment to the original Amerasian Homecoming Act (AHA), but rather ongoing immigration legislation in 2017-2018 (like the RAISE Act - S.354 and H.R.3194 - U.S. Citizenship Act ) that addressed broader immigration, while the USCIS handled existing Amerasian Act cases by adjusting support forms (like dropping I-361 for I-134) for remaining adult applicants, acknowledging their changed status after the core immigration period. The original AHA (1987) allowed children of U.S. citizens fathered in Vietnam (born 1962-1976) to immigrate with family, but later years saw policy shifts and administrative changes as cases aged out or became more complex. 
Key Points on the Amerasian Homecoming Act (AHA) & Related 2017 Context:
The Act Itself: The original AHA of 1987 (S.1601) created a pathway for Vietnamese Amerasians and their families to immigrate, recognizing their unique circumstances.
2017 Legislation (Broader Context): Bills like the RAISE Act (S.354) in 2017 aimed to overhaul the entire immigration system, including reducing family-sponsored visas, but didn't directly amend the AHA itself.
USCIS Adjustments: By 2017, most principal applicants were adults. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stopped requiring the old I-361 Affidavit of Support and instead used the I-134 for adult sponsors, acknowledging the evolving needs of the remaining applicants.
Focus on Existing Cases: The main administrative focus in 2017 was managing the final stages for qualified adults already in the system, rather than creating new immigration categories under the AHA. 
In essence, 2017 brought general immigration reform debates, but changes to the Amerasian process were administrative adaptations to the existing law as time passed, not a new amendment. 

Additional information below:

https://dnapodcast.com/episodes/2024/12/27/321-reuniting-amerasian-families-john-haines-story-amp-father-foundeds-mission

https://dnapodcast.com/episodes/2024/10/11/310-father-founded-dna-reuniting-amerasians-with-their-american-bio-fathers

https://usa.inquirer.net/181622/lost-children-of-two-nations-coalition-seeks-justice-for-filipino-amerasians

https://www.msn.com/en-ph/news/national/marcos-urged-to-allocate-aid-for-children-left-behind-after-us-bases/ar-AA1OgoWO

https://time.com/6275367/philippines-amerasian-children-us-military-legacy/

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The Issue

There wasn't a specific 2017 amendment to the original Amerasian Homecoming Act (AHA), but rather ongoing immigration legislation in 2017-2018 (like the RAISE Act - S.354 and H.R.3194 - U.S. Citizenship Act ) that addressed broader immigration, while the USCIS handled existing Amerasian Act cases by adjusting support forms (like dropping I-361 for I-134) for remaining adult applicants, acknowledging their changed status after the core immigration period. The original AHA (1987) allowed children of U.S. citizens fathered in Vietnam (born 1962-1976) to immigrate with family, but later years saw policy shifts and administrative changes as cases aged out or became more complex. 
Key Points on the Amerasian Homecoming Act (AHA) & Related 2017 Context:
The Act Itself: The original AHA of 1987 (S.1601) created a pathway for Vietnamese Amerasians and their families to immigrate, recognizing their unique circumstances.
2017 Legislation (Broader Context): Bills like the RAISE Act (S.354) in 2017 aimed to overhaul the entire immigration system, including reducing family-sponsored visas, but didn't directly amend the AHA itself.
USCIS Adjustments: By 2017, most principal applicants were adults. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stopped requiring the old I-361 Affidavit of Support and instead used the I-134 for adult sponsors, acknowledging the evolving needs of the remaining applicants.
Focus on Existing Cases: The main administrative focus in 2017 was managing the final stages for qualified adults already in the system, rather than creating new immigration categories under the AHA. 
In essence, 2017 brought general immigration reform debates, but changes to the Amerasian process were administrative adaptations to the existing law as time passed, not a new amendment. 

Additional information below:

https://dnapodcast.com/episodes/2024/12/27/321-reuniting-amerasian-families-john-haines-story-amp-father-foundeds-mission

https://dnapodcast.com/episodes/2024/10/11/310-father-founded-dna-reuniting-amerasians-with-their-american-bio-fathers

https://usa.inquirer.net/181622/lost-children-of-two-nations-coalition-seeks-justice-for-filipino-amerasians

https://www.msn.com/en-ph/news/national/marcos-urged-to-allocate-aid-for-children-left-behind-after-us-bases/ar-AA1OgoWO

https://time.com/6275367/philippines-amerasian-children-us-military-legacy/

The Decision Makers

Ashley Moody
Former Florida Attorney General
James Uthmeier
Florida Attorney General
Jimmy Patronis
Former Florida Chief Financial Officer
Matt Gaetz
Former U.S. House of Representatives - Florida 1st Congressional District
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Petition created on September 7, 2016