Shirley Chung was just a year old when she was taken in by a US family back in 1966.
Born in South Korea, her birth father was a member of the American military, who returned home soon after Shirley was born.
"He abandoned us, is the nicest way I can put it," says Shirley, now 61.
After around a year, Shirley was adopted by a American pair, who brought her to Texas.
Growing Up American
She was raised experiencing a lifestyle comparable with those of most American youths.
"I lived and breathed and found mischief like many American teenagers during the eighties. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley says.
She became a mother, entered matrimony and became a piano teacher.
Life carried on for many years with little cause to doubt her American identity.
But then in 2012, her world came crashing down.
Citizenship Crisis
She misplaced her government identification and needed a replacement.
However when she went to her government agency, Shirley was informed she needed to prove her legal standing in the country.
"I had an emotional collapse after finding out I wasn't a citizen," she explains.
A Common Issue
This situation isn't unique. Approximations of how many US adopted individuals lack citizenship vary between 18,000 to 75,000.
Numerous adopted individuals have been removed to their countries of birth in recent years, according to advocacy groups.
Additional Account
A different individual, preferring to remain unnamed for concern about attracting the attention of authorities, was adopted by an US pair from the Middle East in 1973 when she was two years old.
"I settled into my existence, always understanding that I was a US national. That's what I was told. I continue to feel that today," she says.
Legal Background
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 addressing this issue, granting automatic citizenship to children adopted from abroad.
Present Concerns
Those fears for adopted individuals and their families have risen even further since recent political changes.
Advocacy organizations say they have been overwhelmed by assistance inquiries and some adoptees have disappeared from public view.
"When the election results came in, it began increasing significantly with requests for help," noted an attorney specializing in adoptee cases.
Stateless Feeling
"At the end of the day, authorities aren't concerned about your personal history. They're not interested that you're legally here and it's just a paperwork error," she expressed.
"I frequently explain that one document of paper has essentially just ruined my life," she said.
"From my perspective right now, I feel without a country."
Possible Resolution
Despite adoptees being left in limbo for decades, attorneys believe it is simply a matter of political will that should unite people from all political parties.
"This ought to be a straightforward fix: adopted children should be equal to their biological siblings of parents who were US citizens at the time of birth," said an attorney.
Last Appeal
The adoptee hopes she could meet with national leaders for a discussion, so she and similar individuals could share their experiences.
"I would request to please have some compassion. We're not illegal aliens," she stated.
"We were placed on planes as infants and young children. Please listen to our story and please follow through with the commitment that America made to every of the children that got on those planes: American citizenship."
