American Children Adopted Abroad Living in Fear of Removal to Forgotten Countries of Origin

One adoptee was just a year old when she was adopted by a US family back in 1966.

Born in South Korea, her birth father served of the US armed forces, who went back soon after Shirley was born.

"He left us behind, is the nicest way I can express it," states Shirley, currently in her sixties.

Approximately one year later, Shirley was welcomed into the home of a US couple, who brought her to the Lone Star State.

Growing Up American

She was raised experiencing a lifestyle comparable with those of most young Americans.

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

Shirley had children, got married and worked as a music instructor.

Her life progressed for decades with no reason to question her American identity.

However in 2012, her life was turned upside down.

Discovering Non-Citizen Status

She misplaced her government identification and needed a replacement.

However when she visited her local Social Security office, Shirley was told she had to demonstrate her legal standing in the country.

"I had a little mental breakdown upon discovering I wasn't a citizen," she says.

A Common Issue

Shirley is not alone. Estimates of how many US adopted individuals are without citizenship range from thousands to tens of thousands.

Numerous adopted individuals have been removed to their countries of birth in recent years, according to adoptee rights organizations.

Another Story

A different individual, preferring to remain unnamed for concern about drawing notice of authorities, was taken in by an American couple from the Middle East in 1973 when she was two years old.

"I settled into my life, consistently believing that I was an American citizen. That's what I was told. I still believe that today," she says.

Historical Context

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

The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 made some headway in addressing this issue, granting automatic citizenship to international adoptees.

Present Concerns

Those fears for adopted individuals and their relatives have increased substantially following recent political changes.

Advocacy organizations say they have been overwhelmed by requests for help and some adoptees have disappeared from public view.

"Following political outcomes came in, it began increasing significantly with pleas for assistance," said a legal professional working with adoption law.

Stateless Feeling

"At the end of the day, they don't care about your personal history. They don't care that you're legally here and it's just a paperwork error," she expressed.

"I always tell people this one single piece of paper has fundamentally damaged my life," she stated.

"As far as I'm concerned currently, I feel without a country."

Potential Solution

Despite adoptees being in legal uncertainty for decades, attorneys believe it is just a case of political will that should unite people from across the political spectrum.

"This ought to be a straightforward fix: children through adoption should be treated the same as their biological siblings of guardians who were US citizens at the moment of their birth," commented an attorney.

Final Plea

The adoptee hopes 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. Please listen to our accounts and honor with the promise that America gave each one of the children that were brought here: US nationality."