Shirley Chung was just a year old when she was adopted by a US family during 1966.
Born in the Korean peninsula, her biological father served of the American military, who went back shortly after Shirley was born.
"He abandoned us, is the nicest way I can put it," says Shirley, now 61.
Approximately one year later, Shirley was welcomed into the home of a US couple, who took her back to Texas.
Growing Up American
She was raised experiencing a lifestyle comparable with those of most young Americans.
"I moved and breathed and got in trouble similar to other teenage Americans 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 no reason to question her US citizenship.
But then in 2012, her world came crashing down.
Discovering Non-Citizen Status
She lost 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 experienced an emotional collapse upon discovering I wasn't a citizen," she says.
Widespread Problem
Shirley is not alone. Approximations of how many US adopted individuals lack citizenship vary between thousands to tens of thousands.
Numerous adoptees have been removed to their nations of origin in recent years, as reported by adoptee rights organizations.
Additional Account
A different individual, who requested anonymity for concern about drawing notice of government officials, was adopted by an US pair from the Middle East in 1973 when she was two years old.
"I settled into my life, always understanding that I was a US national. That was what I learned. I continue to feel that today," she states.
Legal Background
For decades, intercountry adoptions authorized through legal systems did not automatically guarantee US citizenship.
The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 created progress in addressing this issue, granting automatic citizenship to international adoptees.
Present Concerns
Those fears for adopted individuals and their relatives have risen even further following recent political changes.
Advocacy organizations say they have been overwhelmed by requests for help and certain individuals have disappeared from public view.
"Following political outcomes came in, it began increasing significantly with requests for help," noted an attorney specializing in adoptee cases.
Stateless Feeling
"At the end of the day, 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 frequently explain that one document of paper has fundamentally damaged my life," she said.
"From my perspective currently, I feel without a country."
Possible Resolution
Despite adoptees being in legal uncertainty for decades, legal experts believe it is simply a matter of political will that should unite people from across the political spectrum.
"This ought to be a straightforward fix: children through adoption should be treated the same as their biological siblings of parents who were US citizens at the time of birth," said a legal advocate.
Last Appeal
The adoptee hopes she could meet with national leaders for a discussion, so she and similar individuals could share their experiences.
"I would request to show understanding. We aren't undocumented immigrants," she stated.
"We were placed on planes as infants and young children. Please listen to our accounts and please follow through with the commitment that America made to every of the children that got on those planes: US nationality."
