The ADOPT Act of 2025 creates new federal criminal penalties for unlawful adoption practices, specifically targeting unlicensed intermediaries who profit by connecting adoptive parents with placing parents outside of regulated channels. The law prohibits three main activities: providing adoption intermediary services (connecting parents and adoptive families for compensation), placing paid adoption advertisements, and giving payments exceeding $2,500 to birth parents before they've consulted with a licensed adoption agency or attorney. The bill applies when these activities involve interstate commerce, such as traveling across state lines, using the internet, or making interstate payments. Violators face fines up to $50,000 and up to five years in prison for individuals, or $100,000 in fines for organizations, with separate penalties per violation. The law includes exceptions for licensed adoption agencies, government child welfare agencies, attorneys, and nonprofit organizations working under contract with public agencies, and it takes effect 120 days after enactment.
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