Imagine if we’d had to leave without Rory. It just happened, to this family. Here, in a nutshell, is the United States’ new plan for China adoptions:
1. Complete masses of paperwork. Travel to China. Adopt and become responsible for child.
2. Have child tested for TB.
3. If child tests positive for TB, stay in China for 2-6 months, as child will not be allowed to travel to the US, but is no longer the responsibility of anyone in China. Can’t stay–what, you have a job or family or responsibilities? Silly you. But that’s your problem. Maybe you can find some nice Chinese family to take her in–because it’s not like she hasn’t been through enough already.

Infuriating? Why, yes. Especially when you note that people all over the world are getting visas to visit the US without any kind of TB testing at all–including people from China–and that the biological child of two US parents, even with known TB, would be allowed to travel home from China without comment.

Look, nobody wants more TB in the US. But just as clearly, no one thought this law–which went into effect July 1–through. What, exactly, is this family supposed to do?