WAUKESHA — A Waukesha couple left Tuesday, Feb. 10, for Colombia to complete the adoption of their daughter after the federal government granted an exemption that cleared the way for her immigrant visa.
Joe and Kristin Finn reached out to TMJ4 News weeks ago when a sudden federal pause on certain immigrant visas halted their adoption plans days before their scheduled departure.
“We were this close, and our government is saying ‘stop,'” Joe said in an earlier interview.
The Finns have spent about three years working to adopt their 12-year-old daughter from Colombia, completing required background checks, biometric screenings, and financial disclosures.
They were preparing to travel when the U.S. Department of State paused immigrant visa issuance for nationals of several countries, including Colombia. The State Department stated that the pause was in effect while officials reviewed whether some applicants might be relying on public benefits.
“We had been waiting on an update on our ability to travel to Colombia and finish our adoption,” the couple said.
Watch: Waukesha couple travels to Colombia after federal exemption clears adoption
With the pause in effect, the Finns spent weeks contacting members of Congress, federal officials, and other families across the country going through a similar challenge.
“It was a full-time job,” the couple said. “We’d go work, then come home, and we’d be writing and telling our story to whoever would listen.”
Last week, the State Department granted a national interest exemption that allowed certain adoption cases to proceed, including the Finns’.
“We are so excited and just really happy for all the families going through something similar,” Kristin smiled.
“When you’re trying to adopt someone from an orphanage, there’s no political line there. This is the right thing to do, and somehow that got missed,” Joe added.
In an online update, the department stated that immigrant visa processing remains paused for certain nationalities, but exemptions may be applicable in limited circumstances.
The Finns said they will spend about a month in Colombia completing the adoption process before returning to Wisconsin with their daughter.
“When we started connecting with other families, we sent the news story from TMJ4, and that gave courage to other families to go on their local news,” Joe said.
“We’ve learned the power of advocacy and telling your story. We can collectively do something.”
This story was reported on-air by Kaylee Staral and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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