Shirley Chung was only twelve months when she was taken in by a US family back in 1966.
Hailing from the Korean peninsula, her biological father was a member of the American military, who went back shortly after Shirley was born.
"He left us behind, is the kindest phrasing I can express it," says Shirley, currently in her sixties.
After around a year, Shirley was adopted by a US couple, who brought her to the Lone Star State.
An American Upbringing
She was raised 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 says.
Shirley had children, got married and became a piano teacher.
Her life progressed for many years with no reason to question her American identity.
However in 2012, her life was turned upside down.
Citizenship Crisis
She lost her government identification and needed a replacement.
But when she visited her government agency, Shirley was told she had to demonstrate her status in the country.
"I had a little mental breakdown upon discovering I lacked citizenship," she explains.
A Common Issue
This situation isn't unique. Approximations of how many American adoptees are without citizenship range from 18,000 to 75,000.
Numerous adopted individuals have been removed to their countries of birth in recent years, as reported by advocacy groups.
Additional Account
Another woman, who requested anonymity for concern about attracting the attention of government officials, was adopted by an American couple from Iran in 1973 when she was just a toddler.
"I settled into my life, always understanding that I was an American citizen. That's what I was told. I continue to feel that today," she says.
Legal Background
For decades, international adoptions approved by courts and government agencies did not assure US citizenship.
The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 made some headway in rectifying this, granting automatic citizenship to children adopted from abroad.
Present Concerns
Those fears for adopted individuals and their families have risen even further following recent political changes.
Adoptee rights groups say they have been flooded with requests for help and certain individuals have gone into hiding.
"Following political outcomes came in, it began increasing significantly with requests for help," said an attorney specializing in adoptee cases.
Lacking National Identity
"Ultimately, they don't care about your back story. They're not interested that you're legally here and it's merely documentation issues," she said.
"I always tell people this one single piece of paper has essentially just ruined my life," she stated.
"As far as I'm concerned currently, I feel without a country."
Possible Resolution
Despite adoptees being in legal uncertainty for many years, legal experts believe it is just a case of political will that should unite people from all political parties.
"It should be a straightforward fix: adopted children should be equal to their biological siblings of parents who were US citizens at the moment of their birth," commented a legal advocate.
Final Plea
Shirley wishes 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 little itty-bitty babies. Please listen to our accounts and please follow through with the promise that the United States gave each one of the babies that got on those planes: American citizenship."
