By: Sophia Pacheco
Photo Courtesy from Alex Brandon / AP News
Undocumented Filipinos residing in the United States are now concerned as President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House with his promise of tightening borders and implementing mass deportation against illegal immigrants in the country, according to Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez on Sunday, Nov. 10.
In an interview with dzBB on Nov. 9, Romualdez informed the public that, according to the Trump campaign officials he spoke with, the mass deportation might possibly take place.
“This time, it might be serious. American sentiments are stronger now. That’s why president Trump won, that’s (immigration) their main issue. There truly are too many illegal immigrants entering the US right now,” Romualdez stated.
Romualdez also recommended that the undocumented Filipinos in the United States voluntarily return to the Philippines or begin working on their documents to avoid deportation. He further stated that if Filipinos are deported, they will likely never be able to return to the United States.
As of last year, there are more than 4.6 million Filipinos in the United States based on the US Census Bureau and according to the US Department of Homeland Security, there are over 300,000 Filipinos illegally residing in the country, making them the fifth largest group of undocumented immigrants.
In an interview, US President-elect Trump, he also stated that one of his top goals when he takes office in January will be to make the US border "strong and powerful".
According to Senate President Francis Escudero, the Philippines must be "one step ahead" of anything Trump plans to execute once in power, and advised that the government to begin planning scenarios for the Trump administration and preparing responses to each one.
“If Trump pushes through with his pronouncement to carry out the greatest mass deportation in US history, then how many of the estimated 300,000 vulnerable Filipinos will be in the first wave of expulsion?” Escudero asked.
Escudero is also concerned about another major part of the US-PH relationship under a second Trump administration, China, and whether they will be aggressive or supportive, as well as the Philippines-US military partnership, which has been strengthened by the Biden administration.