Shirley Chung was just a year old when she was adopted by a American couple during 1966.
Hailing from the Korean peninsula, her birth father served of the US armed forces, who went back shortly after Shirley was born.
"He abandoned us, is the kindest phrasing I can put it," says Shirley, currently in her sixties.
After around a year, Shirley was welcomed into the home of a American pair, who took her back to the Lone Star State.
An American Upbringing
Shirley grew up experiencing a lifestyle comparable with that of many American youths.
"I moved and breathed and got in trouble like many teenage Americans during the eighties. I belong of the 80s," Shirley recalls.
Shirley had children, got married and became a music instructor.
Her life progressed for many years with no reason to doubt her American identity.
However in 2012, her life was turned upside down.
Citizenship Crisis
She misplaced her Social Security card and needed a replacement.
However when she went to her government agency, Shirley was informed she needed to prove her status in the country.
"I experienced a little mental breakdown after finding out I wasn't a citizen," she says.
A Common Issue
Shirley is not alone. Approximations of how many US adopted individuals lack citizenship vary between thousands to tens of thousands.
Dozens adoptees have been removed to their countries of birth in recent years, as reported by adoptee rights organizations.
Additional Account
Another woman, who requested anonymity for fear of drawing notice of authorities, was taken in by an American couple from the Middle East in 1973 when she was just a toddler.
"I settled into my existence, always understanding that I was a US national. That's what I was told. I still believe that today," she says.
Historical Context
For decades, international adoptions approved by courts and government agencies did not assure US citizenship.
The Children's Citizenship Law of 2000 created progress in rectifying this, granting automatic citizenship to international adoptees.
Present Concerns
Those fears for adopted individuals and their families have risen even further since recent political changes.
Adoptee rights groups say they have been flooded with assistance inquiries and certain individuals have gone into hiding.
"When the election results came in, it started to really cascade with requests for help," said an attorney working with adoptee cases.
Stateless Feeling
"At the end of the day, they don't care about your back story. They don't care that you're legally here and it's merely documentation issues," she expressed.
"I frequently explain this one single piece of paper has essentially just ruined my life," she said.
"From my perspective currently, I feel stateless."
Possible Resolution
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.
"It should be a straightforward fix: adopted children should be equal to their natural brothers and sisters 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 explain their stories.
"I would ask him to show understanding. We aren't undocumented immigrants," she stated.
"We were placed on planes as little itty-bitty babies. Please listen to our accounts and honor with the commitment that America gave each one of the babies that got on those planes: US nationality."
