One adoptee was just a year old when she was adopted by a American couple back in 1966.
Born in the Korean peninsula, her birth father served of the US armed forces, who returned home shortly after Shirley was born.
"He left us behind, is the nicest way I can put it," says Shirley, currently in her sixties.
After around a year, Shirley was adopted by a US couple, who brought her to the Lone Star State.
An American Upbringing
She was raised experiencing a lifestyle similar to that of many American youths.
"I moved and breathed and got in trouble like many teenage Americans during the eighties. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley says.
Shirley had children, entered matrimony and became a piano teacher.
Life carried on for decades with no reason to doubt her US citizenship.
However in 2012, her world came crashing down.
Discovering Non-Citizen Status
She misplaced her Social Security card and needed a replacement.
But when she went to her government agency, Shirley was told she needed to prove her status in the country.
"I had a little mental breakdown upon discovering I wasn't a citizen," she says.
A Common Issue
This situation isn't unique. Estimates of how many American adoptees are without citizenship range from thousands to tens of thousands.
Dozens adopted individuals have been deported to their nations of origin in the past decade, as reported by adoptee rights organizations.
Another Story
Another woman, who requested anonymity for fear of drawing notice of authorities, was adopted by an US pair from the Middle East in 1973 when she was just a toddler.
"I adapted to my existence, always understanding that I was an American citizen. That was what I learned. I continue to feel that today," she says.
Legal Background
Over many years, intercountry adoptions authorized through courts and government agencies did not assure US citizenship.
The Children's Citizenship Law of 2000 made some headway in rectifying this, granting automatic citizenship to children adopted from abroad.
Present Concerns
These concerns for adoptees and their relatives have increased substantially following recent political changes.
Adoptee rights groups say they have been flooded with assistance inquiries and some adoptees have disappeared from public view.
"Following political outcomes came in, it began increasing significantly with pleas for assistance," noted a legal professional specializing in adoption law.
Lacking National Identity
"At the end of the day, authorities aren't concerned about your personal history. They don't care that you're legally here and it's just a paperwork error," she expressed.
"I frequently explain that one document of paper has essentially just ruined my life," she said.
"As far as I'm concerned right now, I feel without a country."
Potential Solution
Although these individuals being in legal uncertainty for many years, attorneys believe it is just a case of political will that should unite people from across the political spectrum.
"It should be an uncomplicated solution: children through adoption should be equal to their natural brothers and sisters of parents who were American nationals at the time of birth," said an attorney.
Last Appeal
The adoptee hopes she could get the US president into a room, so she and others like her could explain their stories.
"I would request to please have some compassion. We're not illegal aliens," she said.
"We were placed on planes as infants and young children. Please listen to our story and please follow through with the promise that America gave each one of the babies that were brought here: American citizenship."
