Shirley Chung was only twelve months when she was taken in by a US family back in 1966.
Born in the Korean peninsula, her birth father served of the American military, who returned home shortly after Shirley was born.
"He abandoned us, is the kindest phrasing I can put it," says Shirley, currently in her sixties.
After around a year, Shirley was adopted by a US couple, who took her back to Texas.
An American Upbringing
She was raised living a life similar to those of most American youths.
"I lived and breathed and got in trouble like many American teenagers of the 80s. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley recalls.
Shirley had children, got married and worked as a music instructor.
Her life progressed for many years with no reason to doubt her American identity.
However in 2012, her world came crashing down.
Citizenship Crisis
She lost her Social Security card and required a new one.
However when she visited her government agency, Shirley was informed she needed to prove her legal standing in the country.
"I had an emotional collapse upon discovering I wasn't a citizen," she says.
Widespread Problem
Shirley is not alone. Approximations of how many American adoptees lack citizenship range from 18,000 to 75,000.
Numerous adopted individuals have been removed to their countries of birth in recent years, as reported by adoptee rights organizations.
Additional Account
Another woman, preferring to remain unnamed for fear of attracting the attention of authorities, was adopted by an American couple from Iran in 1973 when she was just a toddler.
"I adapted to my life, always understanding that I was a US national. That's what I was told. I still believe that today," she says.
Historical Context
For decades, intercountry adoptions authorized through courts and government agencies did not automatically guarantee US citizenship.
The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 made some headway in rectifying this, granting automatic citizenship to children adopted from abroad.
Present Concerns
Those fears for adopted individuals and their families have risen even further since shifts in administration.
Advocacy organizations say they have been flooded with requests for help and certain individuals have disappeared from public view.
"When the election results were announced, it started to really cascade with requests for help," noted an attorney working with adoption law.
Stateless Feeling
"Ultimately, they don't care about your personal history. They're not interested that you're legally here and it's just a paperwork error," she said.
"I frequently explain this one single piece of paper has fundamentally damaged my life," she stated.
"As far as I'm concerned right now, I feel stateless."
Possible Resolution
Despite adoptees being left in limbo for many years, attorneys believe it is simply a matter of legislative action that should gain bipartisan support from across the political spectrum.
"This ought to be a straightforward fix: children through adoption should be equal to their natural brothers and sisters of guardians who were American nationals at the moment of their birth," commented a legal advocate.
Last Appeal
Shirley wishes she could get the US president into a room, so she and others like her could explain their stories.
"I would request to show understanding. We aren't undocumented immigrants," she stated.
"We were placed on planes as little itty-bitty babies. Please listen to our accounts and honor with the promise that America made to every of the children that got on those planes: American citizenship."
