Summary
Some people who were adopted as children from other countries by American families are finding out they do not have U.S. citizenship. This can happen due to missing paperwork or errors during the adoption process, causing fear of deportation and uncertainty about their rights.
Key Facts
- Shirley Chung was adopted from South Korea by a U.S. family but discovered she was not a citizen when she needed a replacement Social Security card in 2012.
- It is estimated that between 18,000 and 75,000 adoptees in the U.S. do not have citizenship.
- Some adoptees have been deported back to their birth countries, especially if they encountered legal problems.
- Lack of citizenship often occurs because of missing adoption paperwork or uncompleted processes by their adoptive families.
- Adoptees often believe they are U.S. citizens until they attempt to get legal documents like passports.
- Adoptees face challenges in proving their legal status and advocating for citizenship rights promised during adoption.
