U.S. Philippines Ambassador warns of deportation under Trump
Last activity 13 November 2024 by danfinn
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Philippine ambassador warns of mass deportation under Trump
By Cristina Chi - Philstar.com November 8, 2024 | 12:51pm
Philippine ambassador warns of mass deportation under Trump
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines' ambassador to the United States has called on undocumented Filipino workers there to start the process of obtaining legal status before US President-elect Donald Trump assumes office next year.
With an estimated 250,000 to 300,000 undocumented Filipinos currently in the US, Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez advised them to immediately seek legal aid or face deportation, which could permanently bar them from re-entry.
Trump secured a return to the White House in a decisive electoral victory earlier this week after leading a campaign that promised "the largest deportation effort in American history."
On Friday, November 8, Trump told NBC News that his administration has "no choice" but to carry out that promise and that it will not have a price tag.
"My advice to many of our fellow men who actually are still here but cannot get any kind of status, my advice is for them not to wait to be deported," Romualdez said in a forum with international and local media on Friday.
The ambassador said it is likely that Trump will proceed with his plans of deporting illegal immigrants en masse. But this will "take a lot of resources," he added.
The increased exchange of information among American immigration authorities now makes it nearly impossible for undocumented individuals to remain undetected, Romualdez said.
He estimated that nine out of 10 "TNTs" (tago nang tago or always hiding) — a term coined for Filipinos abroad who are in hiding or overstaying — "will be discovered at some form or another." Different US departments from immigration to the transportation security administration (TSA) are now interconnected, he added.
"Plus, anybody can just simply send a picture of you or whoever it is to the [US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.] That's the one that goes after illegal immigrants, and then you have a problem," Romualdez said.
The Trump administration, now backed by a Republican-controlled Congress, is likely to pass and implement even stricter immigration laws, Romualdez added.
"Whatever laws or whatever rules are in place will continue. But the potential of that being changed, because especially now that the Republicans are in control of both the House and the Senate, it will probably be quicker or it will be much more easier to come up with new immigration laws," he said.
These potential new laws could set stricter qualifications for those qualified to become a permanent resident in the US, he added.
Filipino-Americans as 'great workers'
However, Romualdez emphasized that legal pathways for Filipinos to work legally in the US could expand, particularly in critical sectors.
He cited ongoing discussions with Guam officials to increase the hiring of Filipino construction workers for military bases.
"They would prefer to have Filipino workers because they're the best, according to them," Romualdez said.
The healthcare sector could offer another opening. The ambassador cited "quite a number" of health services companies who have approached him to increase the number of Filipino nurses they can hire from the Philippines.
"That's one sector that really gives a great image to the Filipino community here because the nurses are so much appreciated," Romualdez said.
The ambassador also revealed Trump's firsthand experience with Filipino workers in his business empire. "He has quite a number of Filipino-Americans working in his hotels and also working in his golf clubs. He looks at them as somebody that he really appreciates as great workers," Romualdez said.
"And that's an asset that we have that kind of image," he added.
This workforce dimension in Philippine-US relations becomes relevant as Trump prepares to retake office amid heightened South China Sea tensions.
While some analysts believe that a Trump-led US will not be as involved in deterring China's encroachments in the South China Sea, Romualdez believes otherwise. "On the defense side, I think that there will be not much change. A lot of it, again, is because it is mutually beneficial for both our countries," he said.
For Romualdez, Trump's "transactional" approach and tendency to take a negotiator's stance in foreign policy should highlight what the Philippines can offer to the US in exchange for its support.
The Philippine workforce is the country's "biggest asset," he said.
"In fact, that has given us the opportunity to be able to be a factor in the economy of the world," he added.
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Henny Penny said to Turky Lurky the sky is falling.
For the numbers, millions & millions of illegals have crossed the border in the last 3 1/2 years.
And yet there maybe 250,000 to 300,000 Filipinos that are illegal, most to all these Filipinos once entered the country legally and stayed after their Visa expired.
They are last on in priority list, they have been here for years and years.Over time many of them have married Americans.
I seriously doubt any traveled recently to Mexico and crossed the border. There are over four million Filipinos in America, so if 300,000 are illegal that leaves 3,700,000 that are legal.
Many of these Filipinos are educated compared to all those others who have crossed the border in the last 3 1/2 years. The average income for a Filipino to American marriage is over $100,000. They pay taxes and not a drain on the economy.
Yup the sky is falling.
Henny Penny said to Turky Lurky the sky is falling.
Yup the sky is falling. - @Enzyte Bob
Maybe it is on them Bob
They are staying in a foreign country illegally. I don't see any issues.
They are staying in a foreign country illegally. I don't see any issues. - @Fred
Maybe so, Fred
So as Bob writes, goodbye to your top huddled classes
And, this will maga? Well whatever, none of my business
Happy trails gents
I have no problem kicking out illegals.
The UK is experiencing a rise in racist stupidity, and the ultra right is using illegals to push their silliness.
Legal migration is good, but illegal immigration is bad on a number of levels.
Much as I think Trump is a bloody idiot, he's right about that policy
They are staying in a foreign country illegally. I don't see any issues. - @FredMaybe so, FredSo as Bob writes, goodbye to your top huddled classesAnd, this will maga? Well whatever, none of my business Happy trails gents - @PalawOne
I think it is huddled MASSES, not CLASSES hahaha, as inscribed on the statue of liberty by some French artist. At that time, masses of LEGAL immigrants were coming in to New York and given admission if they passed a medical exam. Today there are no huddled masses, just criminals and economic refugees trying to achieve a higher standard of living by illegally crossing our border. Now we talk of mass deportations...Great idea for illegal aliens, however, my understanding is that the focus will be on the criminal element who have snuck in. We need to find these killers/rapists and drug pushers and deport them according to law. As for the non-criminal economic refugees who are trying to steal a highet standard of living from lower class blacks and Hispanics, perhaps deportation is not necessary as they will leave on their own if employment laws were enforced; in that case they could not steal US jobs without legal status.
https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2024/05/02/2351877/pinoy-issues-america
Yes, agreed .. as long as he does it with respect and dignity .. without brutality
Quote: "The great American dream"
At the City Hall of Daly City, our group of visiting journalists met with.. the Filipino Community Center (FCC).
The Filipino Migrant Center, for its part, said that “one in four Filipinos in the US are undocumented and continue to face difficult challenges such as lack of meaningful work with decent pay at a living wage; lack of comprehensive personal and family benefits; of dignity, respect and fair treatment at work; racism, bogus assimilation and a coercive Philippine labor export policy.”
Amid all these challenges, it doesn’t mean that life in the US has shattered the great American dream of many Filipinos. Many still dream of making a life here and at least two million Filipinos still leave the Philippines every day. Sadly, some of them are forced to toil in distant lands, including the US, because of the difficult conditions back home. But I fervently hope that Fil-Ams in America will overcome the challenges."
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@Enzyte Bob
Illegal immigration’s have been a problem much longer than the last 3.5 years. So there is a very high % of illegal immigrants. In NY almost all restaurants have undocumented workers that buy faked papers since it can take years before the government find out. A high % also have kids born here and that will be a problem since the kids can stay and the parents are not welcome. Most undocumented Filipinos I know here get married and start their legal process as soon as they leave the court house so it’s not to many undocumented married people here unless they are both undocumented and then it’s a more difficult process.
@danfinn it seems like they are targeting all immigrants and the life that Trump have and have spread during the last 4 years is that all immigrants are rapists and criminals and bad people overall. Trump hit a lot of votes from Bronx in NY ghat have a high population of Hispanic immigrants so it will be interested if the legal immigrants will start calling on the undocumented.
It struck me there were lots of illegal US citizens in the Philippines when it was a colony.
The locals wanted them out, so booting illegal Fillies out of the US is nothing they can moan about.
Durianmike said to danfinn. . . it seems like they are targeting all immigrants and the life that Trump have and have spread during the last 4 years is that all immigrants are rapists and criminals and bad people overall. Trump hit a lot of votes from Bronx in NY ghat have a high population of Hispanic immigrants so it will be interested if the legal immigrants will start calling on the undocumented.
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Yes prior to the last 3 1/2 years it was estimated up to 20 million. Largely from central America trying to escape poverty and violence.
But within the last 3 1/2 years these illegals represent over 100 countries. Escaping who knows what, going to who knows where, not knowing even who they are. Over 10,000 dangerous people we know of not counting the get-a-ways.
In 2022. . . . 329,347 men and 75,678 women were apprehended crossing the border.
Just think 329,347 landscapers
Fred said. . . It struck me there were lots of illegal US citizens in the Philippines when it was a colony.
The locals wanted them out, so booting illegal Fillies out of the US is nothing they can moan about.
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It struck me this statement can not be back up, grasping at straws.
What would happen to an expat residing in the Philippines illegally? I assume much the same as would happen in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia.....
"Bye, Felicia"
Fred said. . . It struck me there were lots of illegal US citizens in the Philippines when it was a colony.
The locals wanted them out, so booting illegal Fillies out of the US is nothing they can moan about.
***************************************
It struck me this statement can not be back up, grasping at straws. - @Enzyte Bob
Iraq, Vietnam, Panama, and loads of others where heavily armed US citizens illegally massed into other people's countries.
Perhaps the US should stay quiet. 🤣
I am an American. I am also an attorney. I married a beautiful Filipina lady with 2 amazing kids over 6 years ago. Our original plan was for me to retire to the Philippines. But my stepdaughter got into Juilliard. She is one of the greatest classical singers in the world. But that necessitated them relocating to the U.S. and for them to get green cards and eventually become citizens. It took a longer time than it should have because of COVID, but it was not hard. It was expensive. I did all of the forms. I prepped them for their interviews. And everything went smoothly.
If you have been in the U.S. for more than 90 days, and do not have a visa that allows for it, then you are in violation of U.S. law. My wife and kids had to overstay by a few days because of intricacies in immigration law and creating sufficient time between arrival and marriage so as to not raise any red flags. But the longer the overstay, the less forgiving the U.S. is. Please try to obtain a visa and then your green card. If you cannot, then please return to the Philippines and try to get a visa from the Philippines.
I do not think President Trump will discriminate against folks who come here legally. Especially if you have not committed any crimes and have not used welfare. We need immigrants. We just need immigrants to come here legally. If you need help, please contact me. I will do what I can to help.
@PalawOne
The ambassador is misled, probably by Biden employees in the State Department who think we just elected hitler. I am surprised he was allowed to make a statement like that. I am quite surprized at the huge number of Filipino illegals there. I believe far more enforcement is taken on American illegals here than on Philippine illegals there. I knew several when I lived there and I never heard heard of any being deported.
Trump is a negotiator, He's giving scary notice to ALL illegals to scare some of them into leaving on their own volition.
He announced that he IS going after the ones who have been given deportation notices and haven't shown up, and the criminals and rapists (yes, some of the illegals are criminals--maybe a small percentage, but that's TOO MANY, and they are wrecking havoc in American cities).
Yes, we need the labor, preferably cheap labor. But labor that is competing fairly with Americans, although that may mean some prices increase due to higher--but fair--labor costs. I'm as much a capitalist as anyone, but it's immoral for business to cheat by paying people less than the going wage for legal workers because they can take advantage. If legal immigrants (like some farm workers) want to work for less than Americans are willing to take, that's fine with me. The key word is LEGAL, since we aspire to actually be a country of laws.
Trump is a lot more rational than many give him credit for.
bizwizard mentioned. . . .Yes, we need the labor, preferably cheap labor. But labor that is competing fairly with Americans, although that may mean some prices increase due to higher--but fair--labor costs.
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One thing that was a misconception heard the reason Black & Hispanics voted for Trump that illegals would take their jobs. So it implied to many that Blacks & Hispanics have the bottom of the rung jobs.
What an insult.
It's not doctors, lawyers, engineers or college educated people crossing the border. What's crossing the borders is mobs of young males who have no skills at all, they would be taking jobs from other illegals who get paid under the table, pay no taxes and yet take advantage of our social programs.
Blacks & Hispanics voted for Trump because they wanted the nation to have a brighter future.
@bizwizard
Trumps immigration policies do make sense. The Biden administration has made a joke out of our borders. Trump will finish the wall and start deportation for those who came in the country illegally during the past 4 years. He will boost the morale of ICE and Border Patrol stopping the mass exodus of their employees. The USA is the laughing stock of the world for not securing its borders properly. This needs to change. The focus then needs to be, speeding up the process for legal immigration especially focusing on skilled workers. Unfortunately the Democrats don’t want these type of immigrants as they might not vote Democrat in future elections. I simply cannot understand the mentality of Americans who think the current immigration policies/ border security is working and even applaud the current unfettered illegal immigration invasion and subsequent handouts to the very people breaking our laws. Utterly ridiculous!
@Enzyte Bob
“Blacks & Hispanics voted for Trump because they wanted the nation to have a brighter future.”
that is exactly right. They’re tired of the Democratic Party, giving them empty promises every four years and relying on their vote to get increasingly left-wing progressives elected. It’s funny how the republican party is now the party of the working people and the Democrat party is now the party of the elite.
@Fred
Really! Thank God the majority of Americans don’t share your view.
Went in to a left-leaning, progressive bookstore and asked whether they had that new book about deporting every single one of the illegal migrants living in America.
The blue-haired clerk looked at me and said, "Get the f**k out, and don't come back!"
I said, "Yeah! That's the one! Do you have it in paperback?"
@Fred
Really! Thank God the majority of Americans don’t share your view. - @Morgacj200424
Fred likes a bit of controversy and enjoys ‘baiting’ our American friends. He spends most of his time in hibernation on the languid Indonesian Forum where the debates are somewhat lethargic albeit informative. .
Anytime now I expect Coach53 will drop by..
@danfinn it seems like they are targeting all immigrants and the life that Trump have and have spread during the last 4 years is that all immigrants are rapists and criminals and bad people overall. Trump hit a lot of votes from Bronx in NY ghat have a high population of Hispanic immigrants so it will be interested if the legal immigrants will start calling on the undocumented. - @Durianmike
Not exactly, they are not targeting all immigrants, however, every alien that snuck in illegally is fair game, given that their very presence in the USA is illegal. This is no different than Philippines BI policy, correct? Naturally they will start with 1) criminal element and 2) the one million who were ordered deported in court by due process but still remain; those are the priorities. In this election, it has become very clear that masses of LEGAL immigrants want the illegals deported...they don't call them "undocumented", they call them illegal which is what they are. Legal immigrants and black are in general more negatively impacted by the illegals than whites.
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