Shirley Chung was just a year old when she was taken in by a American couple during 1966.
Hailing from the Korean peninsula, her birth father was a member of the American military, who returned home shortly after Shirley was born.
"He abandoned us, is the nicest way I can express it," says Shirley, now 61.
Approximately one year later, Shirley was welcomed into the home of a US couple, who took her back to the Lone Star State.
An American Upbringing
Shirley grew up experiencing a lifestyle comparable with that of many American youths.
"I lived and breathed and got in trouble similar to other American teenagers during the eighties. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley recalls.
She became a mother, got married and became a music instructor.
Her life progressed for many years with little cause to doubt her US citizenship.
However in 2012, her life was turned upside down.
Discovering Non-Citizen Status
She misplaced her government identification and needed a replacement.
But when she visited her local Social Security office, Shirley was told she had to demonstrate her legal standing in the country.
"I experienced an emotional collapse after finding out I lacked citizenship," she says.
Widespread Problem
Shirley is not alone. Estimates of how many American adoptees are without citizenship vary between thousands to tens of thousands.
Numerous adopted individuals have been removed to their countries of birth in recent years, as reported by advocacy groups.
Another Story
A different individual, preferring to remain unnamed for fear of attracting the attention of authorities, was taken in by an American couple from Iran in 1973 when she was just a toddler.
"I settled into my life, always understanding that I was a US national. That's what I was told. I continue to feel that today," she states.
Legal Background
For decades, intercountry adoptions authorized through courts and government agencies did not automatically guarantee US citizenship.
The Children's Citizenship Law of 2000 made some headway in rectifying this, providing immediate citizenship to children adopted from abroad.
Present Concerns
Those fears for adoptees and their relatives have risen even further following shifts in administration.
Advocacy organizations say they have been overwhelmed by requests for help and certain individuals have gone into hiding.
"When the election results came in, it began increasing significantly with requests for help," said a legal professional specializing in adoption law.
Lacking National Identity
"Ultimately, they don't care about your back story. They don't care that you're legally here and it's merely documentation issues," she said.
"I always tell people that one document of paper has fundamentally damaged my life," she stated.
"As far as I'm concerned currently, I feel stateless."
Possible Resolution
Despite adoptees being left in limbo for decades, legal experts believe it is just a case of legislative action that should gain bipartisan support from across the political spectrum.
"This ought to be a straightforward fix: adopted children should be equal to their biological siblings of parents who were American nationals at the time of birth," said a legal advocate.
Final Plea
Shirley wishes she could get the US president for a discussion, so she and similar individuals could share their experiences.
"I would request to show understanding. We're not illegal aliens," she stated.
"We were placed on planes as little itty-bitty babies. Just please hear our accounts and please follow through with the commitment that the United States gave each one of the babies that got on those planes: US nationality."
