One adoptee was just a year old when she was taken in by a US family during 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," says Shirley, currently in her sixties.
After around a year, Shirley was welcomed into the home of a US couple, who brought her to Texas.
An American Upbringing
Shirley grew up living a life comparable with that of many American youths.
"I lived and breathed and got in trouble similar to other American teenagers during the eighties. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley says.
She became a mother, got married and became a music instructor.
Life carried on for many years with no reason to doubt her American identity.
But then in 2012, her world came crashing down.
Citizenship Crisis
She misplaced her government identification 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 an emotional collapse upon discovering I lacked citizenship," she explains.
A Common Issue
This situation isn't unique. Estimates of how many American adoptees are without citizenship range from 18,000 to 75,000.
Numerous adoptees have been removed to their nations of origin in recent years, according to advocacy groups.
Additional Account
A different individual, preferring to remain unnamed for concern about drawing notice of authorities, was adopted by an American couple from the Middle East in 1973 when she was just a toddler.
"I settled into my life, consistently believing that I was a US national. That was what I learned. I still believe that today," she states.
Historical Context
Over many years, international adoptions approved by courts and government agencies did not assure US citizenship.
The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 created progress in rectifying this, providing immediate citizenship to children adopted from abroad.
Present Concerns
Those fears for adoptees and their families have risen even further following shifts in administration.
Adoptee rights groups say they have been overwhelmed by assistance inquiries and certain individuals have disappeared from public view.
"Following political outcomes came in, it started to really cascade with requests for help," noted an attorney specializing in adoption law.
Lacking National Identity
"Ultimately, they don't care about your back story. They don't care that you're legally here and it's merely documentation issues," she said.
"I always tell people that one document of paper has fundamentally damaged my life," she said.
"From my perspective right now, I feel stateless."
Possible Resolution
Despite adoptees being left in limbo for many years, legal experts believe it is just a case of political will that should unite people from across the political spectrum.
"This ought to 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
The adoptee hopes she could get the US president for a discussion, so she and similar individuals could explain their stories.
"I would request to show understanding. We're not illegal aliens," she said.
"We were placed on planes as infants and young children. Please listen to our accounts and honor with the commitment that America made to every of the babies that got on those planes: American citizenship."
