Shirley Chung was only twelve months when she was adopted by a US family back in 1966.
Hailing from South Korea, her biological father served of the US armed forces, who returned home soon after Shirley was born.
"He abandoned us, is the kindest phrasing I can put it," says Shirley, now 61.
Approximately one year later, Shirley was welcomed into the home of a US couple, who took her back to Texas.
An American Upbringing
She was raised experiencing a lifestyle similar to those of most young Americans.
"I lived and breathed and found mischief similar to other teenage Americans of the 80s. I belong of the 80s," Shirley recalls.
Shirley had children, entered matrimony and worked as a music instructor.
Life carried on for decades with no reason to question 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 went to her local Social Security office, Shirley was told she needed to prove her legal standing in the country.
"I experienced a little mental breakdown after finding out I lacked citizenship," she explains.
A Common Issue
This situation isn't unique. Approximations of how many American adoptees lack citizenship range from thousands to tens of thousands.
Dozens adoptees have been removed to their nations of origin in the past decade, according to adoptee rights organizations.
Another Story
Another woman, who requested anonymity for concern about drawing notice of authorities, was adopted by an US pair from the Middle East in 1973 when she was just a toddler.
"I settled into my life, consistently believing that I was an American citizen. That's what I was told. I still believe that today," she states.
Historical Context
For decades, intercountry adoptions approved by legal systems 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.
Current Fears
Those fears for adoptees and their families have increased substantially following recent political changes.
Advocacy organizations say they have been overwhelmed by assistance inquiries and some adoptees have gone into hiding.
"Following political outcomes came in, it started to really cascade with requests for help," said a legal professional working with adoptee cases.
Lacking National Identity
"At the end of the day, 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 always tell people that one document of paper has fundamentally damaged my life," she said.
"As far as I'm concerned currently, I feel without a country."
Potential Solution
Although these individuals being in legal uncertainty for decades, attorneys believe it is simply a matter of political will that should unite people from across the political spectrum.
"It should be a straightforward fix: children through adoption should be treated the same as their natural brothers and sisters of guardians who were US citizens at the moment of their birth," commented an attorney.
Final Plea
The adoptee hopes she could get the US president for a discussion, so she and similar individuals could share their experiences.
"I would ask him to please have some compassion. 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 commitment that the United States made to every of the babies that got on those planes: American citizenship."
