Mas mahigpit na immigration policies, posibleng maapektuhan ang 300k Filipino nationals na nasa US

Pinaalalahanan din nito ang mga kababayang Pinoy na piniling manatili sa US na kumuha o pumili ng abogado o counsel mula sa legitimate legal advisers.

“We join Ambassador Romualdez’s call for undocumented Filipinos in the U.S. to consider voluntary repatriation if no legal options remain. Returning voluntarily gives them an opportunity to be with their loved ones they may not have seen in years, or even in decades, restart their lives on solid ground, and explore new opportunities here in the Philippines,” anang mambabatas.

Dala na rin sa inaasahang malaking bilang ng mga magbabalik na Pinoy mula U.S., sinabi ni Salo na mangangailangan ito ng isang ‘whole-of-government, whole-of-society and whole-of-nation approach’ para masiguro na mabigyang suporta ang mga ito pagbalik sa Pilipinas.

“The government has existing reintegration programs for returning Filipinos, but we need all agencies of the government particularly the DMW, OWWA, DOLE, DILG, DSWD and TESDA to collaborate and come up with robust and comprehensive reintegration plans and programs for returning Filipinos from the U.S.”, Salo emphasized. “We need to ensure that we’re able to assist them to either find jobs or start their businesses, and leverage the skills, competencies and experiences they acquired in the U.S.,” dagdag ng mambabatas.

Una nang inihayag ni Ambassador Romualdez ang planong makipagpulong sa pitong Philippine consulates sa U.S. upang makipag-coordinate para sa agarang legal at repatriation support sa mga Pilipinong maapektuhan ng inaasahang pagbabago sa U.S. immigration policy.

Plano nilang masiguro na ang mga pinoy na posibleng ma-deport ay may access sa legitimate legal guidance ay may malinaw na impormasyon ukol sa mga options, kabilang na voluntary repatriation support at assistance pagbalik nila sa Pilipinas.

“Voluntary repatriation is always a better option than forced repatriation, as the affected Filipinos won’t have to suffer the legal consequences and indignities of being forced to be sent back to the Philippines,” Salo stressed. “While they may not have the same opportunities in the Philippines with the opportunities they currently have in the U.S., voluntary repatriation will spare them and their families in the Philippines the mental anguish and anxiety that go with the knowledge that anytime they may be apprehended by immigration authorities,” pagtatapos ni Salo. (Vina de Guzman)