Preamble
This indictment is submitted on behalf of countless parents, children, and families whose human rights have been violated by the systematic and unlawful actions of the United States Government and its agents, particularly within state-level child welfare systems. These acts constitute ongoing violations of international law, human dignity, and the most fundamental human right—family unity.
This filing seeks international recognition, accountability, and remedy for those subjected to unlawful termination of parental rights, forced family separation, and deprivation of due process. Conducted under the guise of “child protection,” these practices have produced the destruction of families, lifelong trauma, and cultural disintegration.
Jurisdiction and Applicable Law
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR): Arts. 5, 10, 12, 16(3)
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR): Arts. 14, 17, 23
- Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC): Arts. 8, 9
- Convention Against Torture (CAT): Art. 16
Statement of Facts
In the United States, child protection agencies and family courts operate with near-total immunity and insufficient oversight. Parents accused of neglect—often based on poverty or hearsay—are deprived of procedural safeguards routinely afforded to those accused of capital crimes. Termination of parental rights hearings are frequently conducted without a jury, off the public record, and under relaxed evidentiary standards that deny parents the opportunity to confront witnesses or challenge false reports.
Children are then placed into foster or adoptive pipelines incentivized by federal funding mechanisms, including Title IV-E reimbursements, which reward state systems for finalized adoptions. This creates a perverse financial motive for permanent family separation, disproportionately impacting low-income families, minorities, and persons with disabilities.
Counts and Alleged Violations
Count 1 — Violation of the Right to Family and Private Life
UDHR Art. 12; ICCPR Arts. 17, 23; CRC Art. 9
Arbitrary removal of children without just cause or robust due process violates the fundamental right to family unity.
Count 2 — Denial of Due Process and Fair Trial
UDHR Art. 10; ICCPR Art. 14
Secretive family courts, lack of jury trials, and constrained appeals processes deny equal justice and a fair hearing.
Count 3 — Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment
UDHR Art. 5; ICCPR Art. 7; CAT Art. 16
Wrongful separation inflicts severe psychological harm on parents and children, amounting to degrading treatment.
Count 4 — Discrimination and Bias
UDHR Art. 2; ICCPR Art. 26
Disproportionate targeting of marginalized groups evidences systemic discrimination and unequal protection.
Count 5 — Suppression of Freedom of Petition and Expression
UDHR / ICCPR Art. 19
Retaliation and censorship against parents who speak publicly about agency misconduct unlawfully chill speech.
Count 6 — Exploitation via Adoption Incentives
UDHR Art. 4; CRC Art. 21
Monetary incentives tied to adoption outcomes commodify children and incentivize permanent family dissolution.
Evidence & Illustrative Bases
- Federal Title IV-E incentive structures tied to adoption throughput.
- Sealed family court records that impede transparency and accountability.
- Parent testimonies alleging coerced case plans, misrepresentations, and unrebutted hearsay.
- Clinical data showing heightened PTSD, depression, and suicidality among separated families.
- Comparative international analysis showing uniquely high use of TPR without jury trials.
Requested Remedies
- International recognition of systemic human-rights violations in U.S. family-separation practices.
- Immediate suspension and reform of adoption incentives that reward permanent removals.
- Right to a jury trial in all TPR and permanent removal proceedings.
- Establishment of a Truth & Reconciliation Commission; restoration of rights where feasible.
- Reparations and trauma-informed services for wrongfully separated families.
- Ongoing international monitoring and reporting to the UN Human Rights Council.