Sharie and Judith, At 09:55 AM 8/9/2009, Sharie: >I hate to be the bad guy in this discussion, and as much as I >sympathize with the people and the child, I have to side with the >CDC. I too would side with the CDC, if I did not know the facts and/or it was an adult. There are two issues here - - adopted children are held to a different standard than any other immigrant. Had this couple been in China, had this child as their natural child - even if she had TB, they would be allowed to bring her back to this country no questions asked. The FACE Act would give adopted children immediate citizenship. - the status of TB in this particular child as relates to the CDC's rules: in a conference call on the 7th between the CDC, various other agencies: "During the call, the CDC asked a renowned expert to discuss the issue (Dr. Jeffrey R. Starke, M.D., FAAP of the Texas Childrens Hospital), who immediately and definitively stated that there were only 2 reported cases in the world of a child having been known to transmit TB and that he could comfortably state that more than 99% of children with active TB are not contagious." Despite that evidence the CDC would not relent, thus it is a government agency who has no heart, can only quote their own rules and citizens are just out of luck in trying to get the CDC to relent. So other efforts to secure this child's release are ongoing - news media, persons at all other levels of government are being contacted. >The airplane ride from China to here is a lengthy one. This is a >very small child. Children are children. I would be concerned about >her keeping that mask on for that whole period of time. Children >don't always do what they are told. > >Could she be brought to the U.S. on a cruise where she could be >isolated to a cabin? Have they tried a different mode of >transportation where she wouldn't be in close contact with other >people? The CDC will not issue the visa to let her in the country, no matter what method of transport home. I have to wonder if some other country in our hemisphere would take her in - Canada, for the closeness or Cuba, for the embarrassment for I have no love for arrogant government officials. >And then there is their arrival in the U.S. Are the parents going to >keep her isolated? I suspect they would seek whatever medical treatment is necessary. They are parents of another child and I see no reason why they would not. Of my soapbox as well Phebe, Tim