One adoptee was only twelve months when she was taken in by a American couple back in 1966.
Born in the Korean peninsula, her biological father was a member of the American military, who went back soon after Shirley was born.
"He abandoned us, is the kindest phrasing I can put it," says Shirley, now 61.
After around a year, Shirley was welcomed into the home of a US couple, who took her back to the Lone Star State.
Growing Up American
Shirley grew up experiencing a lifestyle similar to those of most young Americans.
"I lived and breathed and got in trouble similar to other teenage Americans during the eighties. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley says.
She became a mother, got married and worked as a music instructor.
Her life progressed for many years with little cause to doubt her American identity.
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 government agency, Shirley was told she needed to prove her legal standing in the country.
"I experienced a little mental breakdown after finding out I wasn't a citizen," she says.
Widespread Problem
Shirley is not alone. Approximations of how many American adoptees are without citizenship range from 18,000 to 75,000.
Numerous adopted individuals have been removed to their nations of origin in the past decade, according to adoptee rights organizations.
Additional Account
Another woman, preferring to remain unnamed for concern about drawing notice of government officials, was adopted by an US pair from Iran in 1973 when she was two years old.
"I settled into my existence, consistently believing that I was an American citizen. That was what I learned. I continue to feel that today," she says.
Historical Context
Over many years, intercountry adoptions approved by courts and government agencies did not assure US citizenship.
The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 made some headway in addressing this issue, granting automatic citizenship to international adoptees.
Present Concerns
Those fears for adoptees and their families have risen even further following shifts in administration.
Advocacy organizations say they have been flooded with assistance inquiries and certain individuals have gone into hiding.
"When the election results came in, it began increasing significantly with pleas for assistance," said a legal professional working with adoption law.
Stateless Feeling
"Ultimately, they don't care about your back story. They're not interested that your presence is lawful and it's just a paperwork error," she expressed.
"I always tell people this one single piece of paper has fundamentally damaged my life," she said.
"From my perspective right now, I feel without a country."
Possible Resolution
Although these individuals being left in limbo for many years, attorneys believe it is simply a matter of legislative action that should unite people from across the political spectrum.
"It should be a straightforward fix: children through adoption should be equal to 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 meet with national leaders into a room, so she and similar individuals could share their experiences.
"I would ask him to show understanding. We're not illegal aliens," she said.
"We were placed on planes as infants and young children. Just please hear our story and honor with the commitment that America made to every of the children that were brought here: US nationality."
