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 served of the American military, who returned home soon after Shirley was born.
"He abandoned us, is the nicest way I can put it," states Shirley, currently in her sixties.
After around a year, Shirley was adopted by a American pair, who brought her to the Lone Star State.
An American Upbringing
Shirley grew up living a life comparable with that of many young Americans.
"I moved and breathed and got in trouble like many American teenagers of the 80s. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley says.
Shirley had children, entered matrimony and became a music instructor.
Life carried on for decades with little cause to question her American identity.
However in 2012, her life was turned upside down.
Citizenship Crisis
She misplaced her government identification and needed a replacement.
However when she went to her local Social Security office, Shirley was informed she had to demonstrate her legal standing in the country.
"I had a little mental breakdown after finding out I lacked citizenship," she explains.
A Common Issue
Shirley is not alone. Estimates of how many US adopted individuals are without citizenship vary between 18,000 to 75,000.
Dozens adoptees have been deported to their countries of birth in recent years, as reported by adoptee rights organizations.
Additional Account
Another woman, preferring to remain unnamed for fear of drawing notice of government officials, was adopted by an American couple 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 says.
Historical Context
Over many years, intercountry adoptions approved by courts and government agencies did not automatically guarantee US citizenship.
The Children's Citizenship Law of 2000 made some headway in rectifying this, providing immediate citizenship to children adopted from abroad.
Current Fears
Those fears for adopted individuals and their families have increased substantially following shifts in administration.
Advocacy organizations say they have been overwhelmed by requests for help and some adoptees have gone into hiding.
"When the election results came in, it started to really cascade with pleas for assistance," noted an attorney specializing in adoptee cases.
Stateless Feeling
"At the end of the day, they don't care about your personal history. They don't care that your presence is lawful and it's just a paperwork error," she expressed.
"I always tell people this one single piece of paper has fundamentally damaged my life," she stated.
"From my perspective currently, I feel without a country."
Possible Resolution
Although these individuals being left in limbo for many years, attorneys 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 guardians who were US citizens at the moment of their birth," said an attorney.
Final Plea
Shirley wishes she could get the US president into a room, so she and similar individuals could explain their stories.
"I would ask him to show understanding. We're not illegal aliens," she stated.
"We were put on planes as little itty-bitty babies. Just please hear our story and honor with the commitment that the United States made to every of the babies that were brought here: US nationality."
