One adoptee was only twelve months when she was taken in by a US family back in 1966.
Hailing from South Korea, her biological father was a member of the US armed forces, who went back shortly 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 adopted by a US couple, who brought her to Texas.
An American Upbringing
She was raised experiencing a lifestyle comparable with those of most young Americans.
"I moved and breathed and found mischief like many American teenagers during the eighties. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley recalls.
She became a mother, got married and became a piano teacher.
Her life progressed for many years with little cause to question her American identity.
But then in 2012, her life was turned upside down.
Discovering Non-Citizen Status
She lost her Social Security card and required a new one.
However when she visited her local Social Security office, Shirley was told she had to demonstrate her status in the country.
"I had an emotional collapse upon discovering I lacked citizenship," she explains.
A Common Issue
This situation isn't unique. Approximations of how many US adopted individuals lack citizenship range from 18,000 to 75,000.
Numerous adoptees have been removed to their nations of origin in the past decade, as reported by adoptee rights organizations.
Another Story
Another woman, who requested anonymity for concern about drawing notice of government officials, was adopted by an American couple from Iran in 1973 when she was two years old.
"I adapted to my existence, consistently believing that I was an American citizen. That was what I learned. I still believe that today," she says.
Legal Background
For decades, intercountry adoptions authorized through courts and government agencies did not assure US citizenship.
The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 created progress in rectifying this, providing immediate citizenship to children adopted from abroad.
Present Concerns
Those fears for adopted individuals and their relatives have risen even further since shifts in administration.
Advocacy organizations say they have been flooded with assistance inquiries and some adoptees have gone into hiding.
"When the election results were announced, it began increasing significantly with pleas for assistance," said an attorney specializing in adoption law.
Stateless Feeling
"At the end of the day, they don't care about your personal history. They're not interested that your presence is lawful and it's merely documentation issues," she said.
"I frequently explain this one single piece of paper has fundamentally damaged my life," she stated.
"As far as I'm concerned right now, I feel stateless."
Possible Resolution
Despite adoptees being in legal uncertainty for decades, attorneys believe it is just a case of political will that should gain bipartisan support from all political parties.
"It should be a straightforward fix: children through adoption should be treated the same as their natural brothers and sisters of parents who were US citizens at the moment of their birth," said an attorney.
Last Appeal
Shirley wishes she could get the US president into a room, so she and others like her could share their experiences.
"I would request to please have some compassion. We aren't undocumented immigrants," she said.
"We were placed on planes as little itty-bitty babies. Please listen to our story and honor with the commitment that America gave each one of the children that were brought here: American citizenship."
