One adoptee was just a year old when she was taken in by a US family back in 1966.
Hailing from the Korean peninsula, her biological father served of the US armed forces, 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.
After around a year, Shirley was welcomed into the home of a American pair, who brought her to the Lone Star State.
Growing Up American
Shirley grew up living a life similar to that of many young Americans.
"I moved and breathed and found mischief like many American teenagers during the eighties. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley says.
She became a mother, got married and worked as a piano teacher.
Life carried on for many years with no reason to doubt her American identity.
However in 2012, her world came crashing down.
Citizenship Crisis
She misplaced her Social Security card and needed a replacement.
However when she went to her government agency, Shirley was informed she had to demonstrate her legal standing in the country.
"I had a little mental breakdown after finding out I wasn't a citizen," she explains.
A Common Issue
This situation isn't unique. Approximations of how many American adoptees are without citizenship range from 18,000 to 75,000.
Numerous adopted individuals have been removed to their nations of origin in recent years, according to adoptee rights organizations.
Additional Account
A different individual, preferring to remain unnamed for concern about drawing notice of government officials, was taken in by an US pair from the Middle East in 1973 when she was two years old.
"I adapted to my life, consistently believing that I was a US national. That was what I learned. I continue to feel that today," she states.
Historical Context
For decades, international adoptions authorized through legal systems did not assure US citizenship.
The Children's Citizenship Law of 2000 made some headway in rectifying this, providing immediate citizenship to international adoptees.
Present Concerns
These concerns for adoptees and their relatives have increased substantially following shifts in administration.
Advocacy organizations say they have been flooded with assistance inquiries and certain individuals have gone into hiding.
"Following political outcomes were announced, it began increasing significantly with pleas for assistance," said 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 said.
"I always tell people that one document of paper has fundamentally damaged my life," she said.
"As far as I'm concerned currently, I feel stateless."
Potential Solution
Although these individuals being left in limbo for many years, attorneys believe it is just a case of political will that should gain bipartisan support from across the political spectrum.
"It should be an uncomplicated solution: children through adoption should be treated the same as their biological siblings of guardians who were American nationals at the moment of their birth," said a legal advocate.
Final Plea
Shirley wishes she could get the US president into a room, so she and similar individuals could share their experiences.
"I would ask him to show understanding. We're not illegal aliens," she stated.
"We were placed on planes as infants and young children. Just please hear our story and please follow through with the commitment that America gave each one of the babies that got on those planes: US nationality."
