American Adoptees Facing Anxiety of Removal to Forgotten Countries of Origin

Shirley Chung was just a year old when she was adopted by a US family during 1966.

Born in 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 express it," states Shirley, now 61.

Approximately one year later, Shirley was adopted by a US couple, who brought her to the Lone Star State.

An American Upbringing

Shirley grew up living a life comparable with that of many American youths.

"I moved and breathed and found mischief like many teenage Americans during the eighties. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley recalls.

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

Her life progressed for many years with little cause to doubt her American identity.

But then in 2012, her life was turned upside down.

Citizenship Crisis

She lost her government identification and needed a replacement.

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

"I experienced a little mental breakdown upon discovering I wasn't a citizen," she explains.

A Common Issue

Shirley is not alone. Approximations of how many US adopted individuals lack citizenship range from 18,000 to 75,000.

Numerous adoptees have been deported 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 attracting the attention 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 was what I learned. I still believe that today," she says.

Legal Background

For decades, 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 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 flooded with requests for help and some adoptees have gone into hiding.

"When the election results came in, it began increasing significantly with requests for help," noted an attorney working with adoption law.

Lacking National Identity

"At the end of the day, authorities aren't concerned about your back story. They don't care that your presence is lawful and it's just a paperwork error," she expressed.

"I always tell people this one single piece of paper has essentially just ruined my life," she said.

"From my perspective right now, I feel stateless."

Potential Solution

Despite adoptees being in legal uncertainty for many years, attorneys believe it is simply a matter of political will that should unite people from all political parties.

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

Last Appeal

The adoptee hopes she could get the US president into a room, so she and others like her could share their experiences.

"I would request to please have some compassion. We're not illegal aliens," she stated.

"We were placed on planes as little itty-bitty babies. Just please hear our story and please follow through with the promise that America gave each one of the children that got on those planes: American citizenship."