Thanks to a diplomatic spat, the future is very much in limbo for two Russian orphans with Down syndrome whose expected adoptions by American families are now in doubt.

The youngsters, Gabriel, 4, and Jaymi, 5, were on track to join families in Idaho and Utah, respectively, when a new Russian law took effect at the beginning of the year prohibiting Americans from adopting the country’s kids.

Now the children’s adoptive parents are in Moscow anxiously waiting to find out if they will be able to bring home the kids who have come to know them as mom and dad.

Adoption advocates say the cases of children like Gabriel and Jaymi are particularly significant because kids with disabilities are rarely adopted domestically in Russia. Despite the ban, it was thought that their adoptions would proceed because they were already relatively far along in the process, but the cases have been halted and next steps remain unclear.

“Legally, he’s our child and he’s stuck. He is a political hostage,” Brian Preece of Boise, Idaho told Reuters about the situation with his adoptive son Gabriel. To read more click here.

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