Shirley Chung was only twelve months when she was adopted by a American couple back in 1966.
Born in the Korean peninsula, her birth father was a member of the American military, who went back soon after Shirley was born.
"He abandoned us, is the kindest phrasing I can put it," says Shirley, currently in her sixties.
Approximately one year later, Shirley was adopted by a US couple, who brought her to Texas.
Growing Up American
Shirley grew up experiencing a lifestyle comparable with those of most young Americans.
"I moved and breathed and got in trouble like many American teenagers during the eighties. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley recalls.
She became a mother, got married and worked as a piano teacher.
Her life progressed for decades with little cause to question her US citizenship.
However in 2012, her world came crashing down.
Citizenship Crisis
She misplaced her government identification and required a new one.
However when she visited her local Social Security office, Shirley was told she had to demonstrate her status in the country.
"I experienced an emotional collapse after finding out I wasn't a citizen," she explains.
A Common Issue
This situation isn't unique. Estimates of how many US adopted individuals lack citizenship vary between 18,000 to 75,000.
Dozens adoptees have been removed to their nations of origin in recent years, according to adoptee rights organizations.
Additional Account
Another woman, preferring to remain unnamed for concern about attracting the attention of authorities, was taken in by an American couple from the Middle East in 1973 when she was just a toddler.
"I adapted to my existence, consistently believing that I was a US national. That was what I learned. I still believe that today," she says.
Legal Background
For decades, international adoptions authorized through legal systems did not automatically guarantee US citizenship.
The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 created progress in addressing this issue, providing immediate citizenship to children adopted from abroad.
Current Fears
These concerns for adoptees and their relatives have increased substantially following shifts in administration.
Adoptee rights groups say they have been flooded with requests for help and some adoptees have gone into hiding.
"Following political outcomes came in, it started to really cascade with pleas for assistance," said a legal professional working with adoption law.
Lacking National Identity
"At the end of the day, they don't care about your back story. They don't care that your presence is lawful and it's merely documentation issues," she expressed.
"I always tell people this one single piece of paper has essentially just ruined my life," she stated.
"From my perspective currently, I feel without a country."
Potential Solution
Despite adoptees being left in limbo for decades, legal experts believe it is simply a matter of political will that should unite people from across the political spectrum.
"It should be an uncomplicated solution: adopted children should be equal to their natural brothers and sisters of parents who were US citizens at the moment of their birth," commented an attorney.
Last Appeal
Shirley wishes she could get the US president into a room, so she and others like her 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 infants and young children. Please listen to our accounts and honor with the promise that the United States gave each one of the babies that were brought here: US nationality."
