One adoptee was only twelve months when she was adopted by a American couple back in 1966.
Hailing from the Korean peninsula, her birth 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 express it," states Shirley, now 61.
After around a year, 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 American youths.
"I lived and breathed and got in trouble like many teenage Americans of the 80s. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley recalls.
Shirley had children, entered matrimony and became a piano teacher.
Life carried on for decades with no reason to question her US citizenship.
However in 2012, her world came crashing down.
Citizenship Crisis
She misplaced her government identification and needed a replacement.
However when she went to her government agency, Shirley was informed she had to demonstrate her status in the country.
"I experienced a little mental breakdown upon discovering I wasn't a citizen," she says.
Widespread Problem
Shirley is not alone. Approximations of how many US adopted individuals lack citizenship range from thousands to tens of thousands.
Numerous adopted individuals have been deported to their countries of birth in the past decade, according to adoptee rights organizations.
Additional Account
A different individual, preferring to remain unnamed for fear of drawing notice of government officials, was adopted by an American couple from the Middle East in 1973 when she was two years old.
"I adapted to my existence, always understanding that I was a US national. That was what I learned. I still believe that today," she says.
Legal Background
For decades, international adoptions approved by courts and government agencies did not assure US citizenship.
The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 made some headway in rectifying this, providing immediate citizenship to children adopted from abroad.
Current Fears
Those fears for adopted individuals and their families have risen even further since recent political changes.
Advocacy organizations say they have been overwhelmed by requests for help and certain individuals have gone into hiding.
"When the election results were announced, it started to really cascade with requests for help," noted an attorney working with adoptee cases.
Lacking National Identity
"At the end of the day, they don't care about your back story. They're not interested that your presence is lawful and it's merely documentation issues," she expressed.
"I frequently explain this one single piece of paper has fundamentally damaged my life," she said.
"From my perspective right now, I feel without a country."
Potential Solution
Despite adoptees being left in limbo for decades, attorneys believe it is just a case of legislative action that should unite people from all political parties.
"This ought to be a straightforward fix: children through adoption should be equal to their biological siblings of guardians who were American nationals at the time of birth," commented an attorney.
Final Plea
Shirley wishes she could meet with national leaders into a room, so she and others like her could share their experiences.
"I would ask him to show understanding. We're not illegal aliens," she stated.
"We were put on planes as little itty-bitty babies. Please listen to our accounts and please follow through with the commitment that America gave each one of the children that got on those planes: American citizenship."
