Shirley Chung was just a year old when she was taken in 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 kindest phrasing I can put it," says Shirley, currently in her sixties.
Approximately one year later, Shirley was adopted by a US couple, who took her back to Texas.
Growing Up American
She was raised living a life similar to those of most young Americans.
"I moved and breathed and got in trouble 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 music instructor.
Her life progressed for many years with no reason to question her American identity.
However in 2012, her life was turned upside down.
Citizenship Crisis
She misplaced her government identification and needed a replacement.
But when she went to her local Social Security office, Shirley was told she needed to prove her status in the country.
"I experienced a little mental breakdown after finding out I wasn't a citizen," she says.
A Common Issue
Shirley is not alone. Estimates of how many US adopted individuals lack citizenship vary between 18,000 to 75,000.
Dozens adoptees have been deported to their nations of origin in the past decade, as reported by adoptee rights organizations.
Additional Account
A different individual, preferring to remain unnamed for concern about attracting the attention of government officials, was taken in by an American couple from the Middle East in 1973 when she was just a toddler.
"I settled into my existence, always understanding that I was a US national. That's what I was told. I still believe that today," she says.
Legal Background
For decades, international adoptions authorized through courts and government agencies did not automatically guarantee US citizenship.
The Children's Citizenship Law of 2000 made some headway in rectifying this, granting automatic citizenship to international adoptees.
Current Fears
Those fears 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 certain individuals have gone into hiding.
"When the election results came in, it started to really cascade with requests for help," said an attorney working with adoption law.
Lacking National Identity
"At the end of the day, authorities aren't concerned about your personal history. They're not interested that you're legally here 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 stated.
"From my perspective currently, I feel stateless."
Possible Resolution
Despite adoptees being in legal uncertainty for decades, attorneys believe it is simply a matter of political will that should gain bipartisan support from all political parties.
"It should be an uncomplicated solution: adopted children should be treated the same as their biological siblings of parents who were American nationals at the moment of their birth," said an attorney.
Last Appeal
The adoptee hopes she could get the US president for a discussion, so she and similar individuals could explain their stories.
"I would request to please have some compassion. We're not illegal aliens," she stated.
"We were put on planes as little itty-bitty babies. Please listen to our story and please follow through with the commitment that the United States made to every of the babies that were brought here: US nationality."
