Shirley Chung was just a year old when she was taken in by a American couple during 1966.
Born in the Korean peninsula, her biological father served of the American military, who went back soon after Shirley was born.
"He left us behind, is the kindest phrasing I can express it," states Shirley, currently in her sixties.
After around a year, Shirley was adopted by a American pair, who took her back to the Lone Star State.
An American Upbringing
She was raised experiencing a lifestyle similar to those of most American youths.
"I moved and breathed and found mischief like many American teenagers of the 80s. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley says.
Shirley had children, got married and worked as a piano teacher.
Life carried on for decades with no reason to question her US citizenship.
However in 2012, her world came crashing down.
Discovering Non-Citizen Status
She lost her Social Security card and needed a replacement.
But when she went to her government agency, Shirley was told she had to demonstrate her status in the country.
"I had an emotional collapse upon discovering I lacked citizenship," she says.
A Common Issue
Shirley is not alone. Approximations of how many American adoptees lack citizenship vary between 18,000 to 75,000.
Dozens adoptees have been removed to their nations of origin in the past decade, according to adoptee rights organizations.
Additional Account
A different individual, who requested anonymity for fear of drawing notice of authorities, was taken in by an US pair from the Middle East in 1973 when she was two years old.
"I settled into my existence, consistently believing that I was an American citizen. That was what I learned. I continue to feel that today," she says.
Legal Background
Over many years, intercountry adoptions authorized through legal systems did not automatically guarantee US citizenship.
The Children's Citizenship Law of 2000 created progress in addressing this issue, granting automatic citizenship to children adopted from abroad.
Present Concerns
Those fears for adoptees and their families have increased substantially since shifts in administration.
Adoptee rights groups say they have been flooded with assistance inquiries and some adoptees have gone into hiding.
"When the election results were announced, it started to really cascade with requests for help," said an attorney specializing in adoptee cases.
Lacking National Identity
"At the end of the day, they don't care about your personal history. They're not interested that your presence is lawful and it's just a paperwork error," she expressed.
"I frequently explain that one document of paper has fundamentally damaged my life," she stated.
"From my perspective currently, I feel without a country."
Possible Resolution
Although these individuals being in legal uncertainty for decades, legal experts believe it is just a case 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 natural brothers and sisters of guardians who were American nationals at the time of birth," commented a legal advocate.
Last Appeal
The adoptee hopes she could get the US president for a discussion, so she and others like her could explain their stories.
"I would request to please have some compassion. We aren't undocumented immigrants," she stated.
"We were put on planes as infants and young children. Just please hear our accounts and please follow through with the commitment that America gave each one of the babies that got on those planes: American citizenship."
