One adoptee was just a year old when she was adopted by a American couple back in 1966.
Hailing from the Korean peninsula, her birth father served of the American military, who returned home shortly after Shirley was born.
"He abandoned us, is the kindest phrasing I can put it," states Shirley, now 61.
After around a year, Shirley was welcomed into the home of a US couple, who took her back to Texas.
An American Upbringing
Shirley grew up experiencing a lifestyle similar to those of most American youths.
"I lived 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 decades with no reason to question her US citizenship.
But then in 2012, her world came crashing down.
Discovering Non-Citizen Status
She misplaced her Social Security card and required a new one.
But when she visited her government agency, Shirley was informed she had to demonstrate her legal standing in the country.
"I experienced an emotional collapse upon discovering I lacked citizenship," she explains.
A Common Issue
Shirley is not alone. Estimates of how many US adopted individuals lack citizenship range from 18,000 to 75,000.
Dozens adopted individuals have been removed 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 fear of 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, always understanding that I was an American citizen. That's what I was told. I still believe that today," she says.
Legal Background
Over many years, international adoptions authorized through courts and government agencies did not automatically guarantee US citizenship.
The Children's Citizenship Law of 2000 created progress in rectifying this, providing immediate citizenship to children adopted from abroad.
Current Fears
Those fears for adopted individuals and their relatives have increased substantially following recent political changes.
Adoptee rights groups say they have been overwhelmed by assistance inquiries and some adoptees have disappeared from public view.
"Following political outcomes were announced, it started to really cascade with requests for help," noted a legal professional specializing in adoptee cases.
Stateless Feeling
"Ultimately, they don't care about your back story. They're not interested that your presence is lawful and it's just a paperwork error," she expressed.
"I frequently explain that one document of paper has fundamentally damaged my life," she stated.
"As far as I'm concerned currently, I feel without a country."
Possible Resolution
Despite adoptees being left in limbo for decades, legal experts believe it is just a case of legislative action 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.
Final Plea
The adoptee hopes she could meet with national leaders into a room, so she and others like her could explain their stories.
"I would ask him to please have some compassion. We aren't undocumented immigrants," she stated.
"We were put on planes as infants and young children. Please listen to our story and please follow through with the promise that America made to every of the children that got on those planes: US nationality."
