An ADOPTEE is a person who is systematically discriminated against within a state or other political jurisdiction, despite their nominal status as a citizen or legal resident there. While not necessarily slaves, outlaws or criminals, ADOPTEES have limited legal rights, civil rights and human rights, and are often subject to mistreatment or neglect at the hands of their putative superiors. Instead of being protected by the law, the law disregards ADOPTEES, or it may actually be used to control them. Systems with de facto second-class citizenry are generally regarded as violating human rights. Typical impediments facing ADOPTEES include, but are not limited to, disenfranchisement (a lack or loss of birth rights), limitations on access to Vital Records (not including birth certificate in every state), as well as restrictions on freedom of movement and association, identity and expression.
The category is normally unofficial, governments will typically deny the existence of a ADOPTEE's second class status. As an informal category, is not objectively measured; however, cases such as the American South under segregation, apartheid in South Africa, Roman Catholics in Northern Ireland during the parliamentary era and the marginalization of other religious and ethnic minorities, women, men, non-custodial parents, low to mid income parents who cannot afford a lawyer and have their children taken away by Child Protective Services, LGBT people, and other minorities in many countries worldwide, have been historically described as having second-class citizenry.
By contrast, a resident alien or foreign national may have limited rights within a jurisdiction (such as not being able to vote, and having to register with the government), but is also given the law's protection, and is usually accepted by the local population. A naturalized citizen carries essentially the same rights and responsibilities as any other citizen (a possible exception being ineligibility for certain public offices), and is also legally protected.
The category is normally unofficial, governments will typically deny the existence of a ADOPTEE's second class status. As an informal category, is not objectively measured; however, cases such as the American South under segregation, apartheid in South Africa, Roman Catholics in Northern Ireland during the parliamentary era and the marginalization of other religious and ethnic minorities, women, men, non-custodial parents, low to mid income parents who cannot afford a lawyer and have their children taken away by Child Protective Services, LGBT people, and other minorities in many countries worldwide, have been historically described as having second-class citizenry.
By contrast, a resident alien or foreign national may have limited rights within a jurisdiction (such as not being able to vote, and having to register with the government), but is also given the law's protection, and is usually accepted by the local population. A naturalized citizen carries essentially the same rights and responsibilities as any other citizen (a possible exception being ineligibility for certain public offices), and is also legally protected.
