A teenage girl in America forced to marry an older man in another country, then bring him in on a spousal visa. A 49-year-old man applying for admission to the U.S. for his 15-year-old bride, likely married off by her family to the older man. These are NOT unusual examples. Yet we let it happen. Look at the facts:
- The US approved thousands of requests by men to bring in child and adolescent brides to live in the United States over the past decade, data the Associated Press obtained show.
- More than 8,600 minors came to the US as fiancees or spouses in the last 11 years following government approval.
- The Immigration and Nationality Act does not set minimum age requirements.
- Additionally, the US goes by whether the marriage is legal in the home country and then whether the marriage would be legal in the state where the petitioner lives, making the approvals legal.
Read the rest of the AP article The US government approved thousands of requests for men to bring child brides to the US and decide for yourself whether our country is condoning, if not encouraging, this practice which enslaves so many young girls. Then contact your Congress members and insist that they include corrective measures in the next immigration package.
