Shirley Chung was only twelve months when she was adopted by a US family back in 1966.
Born in the Korean peninsula, her birth father was a member of the American military, who returned home soon after Shirley was born.
"He left us behind, is the nicest way I can put it," says 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 experiencing a lifestyle comparable with those of most young Americans.
"I lived and breathed and found mischief like many American teenagers during the eighties. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley recalls.
Shirley had children, got married and worked as a piano teacher.
Her life progressed for many years with no reason to doubt her US citizenship.
However in 2012, her world came crashing down.
Citizenship Crisis
She misplaced her Social Security card and required a new one.
However when she went to her local Social Security office, Shirley was informed she had to demonstrate her status in the country.
"I had a little mental breakdown upon discovering I lacked citizenship," she explains.
Widespread Problem
Shirley is not alone. Approximations of how many American adoptees lack citizenship range from thousands to tens of thousands.
Dozens adopted individuals have been deported to their countries of birth in recent years, as reported by advocacy groups.
Additional Account
A different individual, who requested anonymity for concern about drawing notice of authorities, was adopted by an American couple from the Middle East in 1973 when she was just a toddler.
"I adapted to 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, intercountry adoptions authorized through legal systems 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.
Current Fears
These concerns for adoptees and their families have increased substantially since recent political changes.
Advocacy organizations say they have been flooded with requests for help and certain individuals have gone into hiding.
"When the election results came in, it began increasing significantly with pleas for assistance," noted an attorney working with adoptee cases.
Lacking National Identity
"At the end of the day, authorities aren't concerned about your personal history. They don't care that you're legally here and it's merely documentation issues," she said.
"I frequently explain that one document of paper has fundamentally damaged my life," she said.
"As far as I'm concerned right now, I feel stateless."
Possible Resolution
Despite adoptees being in legal uncertainty for many years, legal experts believe it is simply a matter of political will that should gain bipartisan support from across the political spectrum.
"It should be an uncomplicated solution: adopted children should be treated the same as their natural brothers and sisters of parents who were American nationals at the time of 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 request to show understanding. We're not illegal aliens," she stated.
"We were placed on planes as infants and young children. Just please hear our accounts and please follow through with the promise that the United States gave each one of the children that got on those planes: US nationality."
