Statistics from the US State Department for 2020, included in the Annual Report on International Child Abduction (April 2021) indicate that 246 new outgoing abduction cases were opened in 2020 and 201 cases were resolved. In total, the Office of Children's Issues handled 664 cases during the year. These numbers include cases involving both partner countries under the Hague Child Abduction Convention and non-Hague countries.
Habitual Residence: Supreme Court Ruling in Monasky
With a majority opinion by Justice Ginsburg, the US Supreme Court addressed the long-standing federal circuit split on the standard for determination of habitual residence under the Hague Child Abduction Convention in Monasky v. Taglieri, 589 U.S. ___ (2020). The Court held that "a child's habitual residence depends on the totality of the circumstances specific to the case," rejecting the argument that proof of an actual agreement between the parents is necessary to establish an infant's habitual residence.
State Department Annual Reports
April 2018 saw the release of two annual reports from the U.S. State Department prepared by Office of Children's Issues (OCI). The Annual Report on Intercountry Adoption for FY 2017 showed another drop in the number of incoming adoptions with a total of 4714, with the largest numbers of children coming to the U.S.
Hague Special Commission
Delegates and observers from more than sixty nations and fourteen NGOs met in The Hague from October 10-17, 2017, to consider the practical operation of two Hague agreements: the 1980 Child Abduction Convention and the 1996 Child Protection Convention. Materials from Special Commission meeting, including the final Conclusions and Recommendations, are available on Hague Conference website (here).
Child Abduction Report for 2016
The State Department Annual Report on International Child Abduction (April 2017) presents information on a country-by-country basis for all countries with which the U.S. had one or more pending child abduction cases in 2016, identifying a group of thirteen countries "determined to have been engaged in a pattern of noncompliance" in child abduction cases.
US Releases 2016 Intercountry Adoption Report
The U.S. State Department's Annual Report on Intercountry Adoption for FY2016 shows a total of 5372 incoming adoptions, and 89 outgoing intercountry adoptions. The top five countries of origin were China (2231 children), Democratic Republic of the Congo (359), Ukraine (303), South Korea (260), and Bulgaria (201).
President Obama Signs Ratification of Child Support Convention
According to this White House Press Release, President Barack Obama signed the instrument of ratification for the Hague Child Support Convention on Tuesday, August 30, 2016. The instrument of ratification must now be deposited with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.
Special Commission Meeting on the Adoption Convention
Delegates from 74 countries and 18 international organizations met in The Hague to review the practical operation of the Hague Adoption Convention in June 2015. With the accession of Zambia and Cote d'Ivoire, the Convention has a total of 95 contracting states, and one focus of the meeting was the development of practical tools to assist new countries with implementing and operating of the Convention.
Congress Passes Goldman Act on International Child Abduction
After several years of consideration, Congress enacted H.R. 3212, the Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act of 2014, named for the New Jersey child and father whose story had extensive news coverage before Sean was returned from Brazil to his father's custody in December 2009.
U.S. Enacts Implementing Legislation for 2007 Child Support Convention
September 30, 2014: Earlier today, President Barack Obama signed HR 4890, which includes provisions for implementation of the 2007 Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance.