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One adoptee was only twelve months when she was taken in by a US family during 1966.

Hailing from South Korea, her birth father was a member of the American military, who went back shortly after Shirley was born.

"He left us behind, is the kindest phrasing I can put it," states Shirley, now 61.

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

She was raised living a life comparable with that of many young Americans.

"I moved and breathed and got in trouble like many teenage Americans during the eighties. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley says.

She became a mother, entered matrimony and worked as a music instructor.

Life carried on for many years with little cause to doubt her American identity.

However in 2012, her life was turned upside down.

Discovering Non-Citizen Status

She lost her Social Security card and needed a replacement.

However when she went to her local Social Security office, Shirley was told she needed to prove her legal standing in the country.

"I had a little mental breakdown after finding out I wasn't a citizen," she says.

A Common Issue

This situation isn't unique. Estimates of how many American adoptees are without citizenship vary between 18,000 to 75,000.

Numerous adoptees have been deported to their nations of origin in the past decade, as reported by advocacy groups.

Another Story

Another woman, who requested anonymity for fear of drawing notice of government officials, was adopted by an American couple from the Middle East in 1973 when she was two years old.

"I adapted to my life, consistently believing that I was an American citizen. That's what I was told. I still believe that today," she states.

Legal Background

Over many years, intercountry adoptions authorized through legal systems did not assure US citizenship.

The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 created progress in addressing this issue, granting automatic citizenship to children adopted from abroad.

Present Concerns

Those fears for adoptees and their relatives have risen even further since recent political changes.

Advocacy organizations say they have been flooded with requests for help and certain individuals have gone into hiding.

"Following political outcomes were announced, it started to really cascade with pleas for assistance," said an attorney specializing in adoptee cases.

Stateless Feeling

"Ultimately, 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 said.

"I frequently explain this one single piece of paper has essentially just ruined my life," she said.

"From my perspective currently, I feel stateless."

Possible Resolution

Despite adoptees being left in limbo for decades, legal experts believe it is simply a matter of legislative action that should gain bipartisan support from all political parties.

"This ought to be a straightforward fix: children through adoption should be treated the same as their natural brothers and sisters of parents who were American nationals at the moment of their birth," said a legal advocate.

Last Appeal

The adoptee hopes she could get the US president into a room, so she and similar individuals could explain their stories.

"I would ask him to show understanding. We aren't undocumented immigrants," she said.

"We were placed on planes as little itty-bitty babies. Just please hear our story and honor with the commitment that the United States gave each one of the children that were brought here: US nationality."