One adoptee was only twelve months when she was adopted by a US family back in 1966.
Born in South Korea, her biological father was a member of the American military, who returned home 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 adopted by a American pair, who brought her to the Lone Star State.
An American Upbringing
Shirley grew up experiencing a lifestyle similar to those of most American youths.
"I moved and breathed and found mischief similar to other American teenagers during the eighties. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley recalls.
Shirley had children, got married and worked as a piano teacher.
Her life progressed for many years with no reason to doubt her US citizenship.
But then in 2012, her world came crashing down.
Citizenship Crisis
She lost her government identification and needed a replacement.
However when she visited her government agency, Shirley was told she needed to prove her status in the country.
"I experienced an emotional collapse upon discovering I wasn't a citizen," she explains.
A Common Issue
This situation isn't unique. Approximations of how many US adopted individuals are without citizenship range from 18,000 to 75,000.
Numerous adoptees have been deported to their countries of birth in recent years, as reported by advocacy groups.
Another Story
A different individual, preferring to remain unnamed for concern about drawing notice of authorities, was taken in by an American couple from Iran in 1973 when she was two years old.
"I settled into my life, consistently believing that I was a US national. That's what I was told. I still believe that today," she states.
Legal Background
For decades, international adoptions approved by legal systems did not automatically guarantee US citizenship.
The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 made some headway in rectifying this, granting automatic citizenship to children adopted from abroad.
Present Concerns
Those fears for adopted individuals and their relatives have risen even further following shifts in administration.
Adoptee rights groups 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," said an attorney specializing in adoption law.
Stateless Feeling
"At the end of the day, authorities aren't concerned about your back story. They're not interested that you're legally here and it's just a paperwork error," she expressed.
"I always tell people that one document of paper has fundamentally damaged my life," she said.
"As far as I'm concerned right now, I feel without a country."
Potential Solution
Despite adoptees being left in limbo for many years, attorneys believe it is just a case of political will that should unite people from all political parties.
"This ought to be a straightforward fix: children through adoption should be treated the same as their biological siblings of parents who were American nationals at the time of birth," said an attorney.
Last Appeal
Shirley wishes she could meet with national leaders into a room, so she and others like her could explain their stories.
"I would ask him to show understanding. We aren't undocumented immigrants," she said.
"We were put on planes as infants and young children. Please listen to our accounts and honor with the promise that the United States made to every of the babies that got on those planes: US nationality."
