WASHINGTON – Some 20,000 adult sons and daughters of Filipino World War II veterans moved closer to their goal of immigrating to the United States when a US Senate committee unanimously voted to fast-track their visa applications.
The Senate judiciary committee by voice vote agreed on Tuesday to include the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification amendment to a landmark Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIB) bill that will be considered by the full Senate next month.
The amendment introduced by Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono aims to speed up the reunification of veterans who have become naturalized Americans and their adult children living in the Philippines.
Naturalized citizens who petition for their adult children or siblings generally have to wait for at least a decade in order to be reunited with them. For some countries such as the Philippines, the waiting period is as long as 23 years due to high demand by Filipinos for immigrant visas to the US, immigration lawyers said.
Eric Lachica, a spokesman for the Washington-based American Coalition for Filipino Veterans (ACFV), said about 20,000 adult children of living or deceased Filipino-American war veterans who have approved petitions to immigrate will have immediate priority in getting visas once the CIR bill is passed by the US Congress and signed by President Barack Obama.
Ed Navarra, chairman of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), thanked Hirono for pushing the amendment.
Other amendments submitted by Hirono failed, including one that would have provided limited relief for families due to prolonged separation from their siblings or children not in the US.
“This is extremely disappointing,†said Navarra. “We are nonetheless appreciative of the senator’s determined efforts to fight for families and speak for millions whose voices aren’t often heard.â€
The comprehensive reform bill seeks to give some 11 million people living in the US illegally a chance at citizenship.