The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has promised to help Filipinos in the United States who might be sent back home due to strict new immigration rules. DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma announced on Wednesday that they will work together with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to support affected Filipinos.
“DOLE will continue helping the DMW because that is what President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has instructed—different government departments must work together to assist our fellow Filipinos,” Laguesma told reporters.
Thousands of Filipinos at Risk
Last November, the DMW revealed that over 300,000 Filipinos in the US do not have proper documents. Because of this, they are at risk of being deported, which means they could be forced to leave the US and return to the Philippines.
To help them, the Philippine government has promised support in finding new jobs, learning new skills, and adjusting to life back home.
Trump’s Crackdown on Illegal Immigrants
After returning to the White House, US President Donald Trump has begun making good on his promise to remove illegal immigrants, especially those with criminal records. This has caused worry among Filipinos living in the US without proper papers.
Just last Sunday, Philippine Ambassador to the US, Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez, reported that 24 Filipinos had already been sent back to the Philippines because they were involved in crimes.
Advice for Undocumented Filipinos
Ambassador Romualdez urged Filipinos without legal status in the US to take action. He suggested that they should either return home voluntarily or start fixing their documents as soon as possible. Waiting to be deported, he warned, could make things more difficult for them.
The Philippine government is now closely monitoring the situation and is ready to assist affected Filipinos in any way possible.