🔗 Share this article US Adoptees Living in Fear of Deportation to Unfamiliar Countries of Origin An adoptee, pictured on the right, and a fellow adoptee who requested to remain unnamed Shirley Chung was just a year old when she was adopted by a US family back in 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 put it," states Shirley, currently in her sixties. After around a year, Shirley was adopted by a American pair, who took her back to Texas. An American Upbringing Shirley grew up living a life similar to that of many young Americans. "I moved and breathed and got in trouble similar to other teenage Americans during the eighties. I'm a child of the 80s," Shirley recalls. She experienced a childhood similar to that of many young Americans She became a mother, entered matrimony and worked as a music instructor. Life carried on for many years with no reason 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 required a new one. However when she went to her government agency, Shirley was told she needed to prove her legal standing in the country. "I had a little mental breakdown after finding out I lacked citizenship," she explains. Widespread Problem This situation isn't unique. Estimates of how many US adopted individuals lack citizenship vary between thousands to tens of thousands. Dozens adopted individuals have been deported to their nations of origin in the past decade, as reported by adoptee rights organizations. Another individual from Iran, choosing to not be identified Additional Account Another woman, preferring to remain unnamed for concern about drawing notice of authorities, was adopted by an American couple from Iran 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 continue to feel that today," she states. Historical Context For decades, intercountry adoptions approved by legal systems did not assure US citizenship. The Children's Citizenship Law of 2000 made some headway in rectifying this, granting automatic citizenship to international adoptees. Numerous adopted individuals fear immigration raids although they came in the US as minors Current Fears These concerns for adopted individuals 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. "When the election results were announced, it started to really cascade with requests for help," said an attorney specializing in adoptee cases. Lacking National Identity "At the end of the day, they don't care about your back story. They're not interested that you're legally here and it's just a paperwork error," she said. "I always tell people this one single piece of paper has essentially just ruined my life," she said. "From my perspective currently, I feel without a country." Shirley, currently elderly, urges the president to help finally grant her, and similar individuals, citizenship Potential Solution Despite adoptees being in legal uncertainty for decades, attorneys believe it is just a case of legislative action that should unite people from all political parties. "This ought to be a straightforward fix: children through adoption should be equal to their biological siblings of parents who were US citizens at the time of birth," commented a legal advocate. Final Plea Shirley wishes she could meet with national leaders into a room, so she and similar individuals could share their experiences. "I would request to please have some compassion. We aren't undocumented immigrants," she stated. "We were placed on planes as little itty-bitty babies. Just please hear our accounts and honor with the commitment that the United States gave each one of the babies that got on those planes: US nationality."