Shirley Chung was just a year old when she was adopted by a US family back in 1966.
Hailing from the Korean peninsula, her biological father served of the American military, who went back soon after Shirley was born.
"He abandoned us, is the kindest phrasing I can express it," says Shirley, now 61.
After around a year, Shirley was welcomed into the home of a US couple, who took her back to Texas.
An American Upbringing
She was raised experiencing a lifestyle similar to those of most young Americans.
"I lived and breathed and found mischief like many American teenagers of the 80s. I belong of the 80s," Shirley recalls.
She became a mother, got married and became a piano teacher.
Life carried on for many years with no reason to doubt her US citizenship.
However in 2012, her world came crashing down.
Discovering Non-Citizen Status
She misplaced her Social Security card and needed a replacement.
But when she went to her government agency, Shirley was told she had to demonstrate her legal standing in the country.
"I experienced an emotional collapse after finding out I wasn't a citizen," she says.
A Common Issue
Shirley is not alone. Approximations of how many American adoptees lack citizenship range from thousands to tens of thousands.
Numerous adoptees have been removed to their nations of origin in recent years, as reported by adoptee rights organizations.
Another Story
Another woman, preferring to remain unnamed for concern about drawing notice of authorities, was adopted by an American couple from Iran in 1973 when she was two years old.
"I adapted to my life, always understanding that I was a US national. That was what I learned. I still believe that today," she says.
Historical Context
For decades, international adoptions approved by legal systems did not automatically guarantee US citizenship.
The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 created progress in rectifying this, providing immediate citizenship to international adoptees.
Present Concerns
Those fears for adopted individuals and their families have risen even further following recent political changes.
Advocacy organizations say they have been overwhelmed by assistance inquiries and certain individuals have disappeared from public view.
"When the election results were announced, it began increasing significantly with pleas for assistance," said a legal professional specializing in adoption law.
Stateless Feeling
"At the end of the day, authorities aren't concerned about your back story. They don't care that your presence is lawful and it's just a paperwork error," she said.
"I always tell people this one single piece of paper has fundamentally damaged my life," she said.
"From my perspective right now, I feel stateless."
Potential Solution
Despite adoptees being in legal uncertainty for decades, legal experts believe it is just a case of legislative action that should gain bipartisan support from across the political spectrum.
"This ought to be an uncomplicated solution: adopted children should be equal to their natural brothers and sisters of guardians who were American nationals at the moment of their birth," commented an attorney.
Final Plea
The adoptee hopes she could get the US president for a discussion, so she and similar individuals could share their experiences.
"I would ask him to please have some compassion. We're not illegal aliens," she stated.
"We were placed on planes as infants and young children. Just please hear our story and honor with the commitment that the United States gave each one of the babies that got on those planes: US nationality."
