One adoptee was just a year old when she was adopted by a American couple back in 1966.
Hailing from the Korean peninsula, her biological father was a member of the US armed forces, who went back soon after Shirley was born.
"He left us behind, is the nicest way I can express it," says Shirley, currently in her sixties.
After around a year, Shirley was welcomed into the home of a American pair, who brought her to the Lone Star State.
An American Upbringing
She was raised experiencing a lifestyle comparable with those of most young Americans.
"I moved and breathed and found mischief similar to other teenage Americans during the eighties. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley recalls.
She became a mother, got married and became a music instructor.
Life carried on for decades with no reason to doubt her US citizenship.
However in 2012, her life was turned upside down.
Discovering Non-Citizen Status
She lost her government identification and needed a replacement.
However when she visited her government agency, Shirley was informed she had to demonstrate her status in the country.
"I had a little mental breakdown upon discovering I wasn't a citizen," she says.
A Common Issue
Shirley is not alone. Approximations of how many American adoptees lack citizenship range from thousands to tens of thousands.
Numerous adoptees have been removed to their nations of origin in the past decade, as reported by advocacy groups.
Another Story
Another woman, who requested anonymity for concern about drawing notice of authorities, was taken in by an US pair from Iran in 1973 when she was just a toddler.
"I settled into my life, consistently believing that I was a US national. That's what I was told. I continue to feel that today," she says.
Legal Background
For decades, intercountry adoptions authorized through courts and government agencies did not automatically guarantee US citizenship.
The Children's Citizenship Law of 2000 made some headway in addressing this issue, granting automatic citizenship to children adopted from abroad.
Present Concerns
These concerns for adoptees and their families have risen even further following shifts in administration.
Advocacy organizations say they have been flooded with requests for help and some adoptees have disappeared from public view.
"When the election results came in, it began increasing significantly with pleas for assistance," noted a legal professional working with adoption law.
Lacking National Identity
"Ultimately, they don't care about your personal history. They're not interested that you're legally here and it's just a paperwork error," she said.
"I always tell people that one document of paper has essentially just ruined my life," she said.
"As far as I'm concerned currently, I feel stateless."
Potential Solution
Although these individuals being in legal uncertainty for many years, attorneys believe it is just a case of legislative action 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 American nationals at the time of birth," said an attorney.
Final Plea
The adoptee hopes she could meet with national leaders for a discussion, so she and others like her could share their experiences.
"I would ask him to please have some compassion. We're not illegal aliens," she said.
"We were put on planes as little itty-bitty babies. Just please hear our story and please follow through with the promise that America gave each one of the babies that got on those planes: American citizenship."
