Marcos wants to discuss immigration, aid with Trump

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos wants to meet with US President Donald Trump to discuss a number of issues, including Washington’s freezing of foreign aid and its intensified crackdown on illegal immigrants.

Speaking to reporters in Cebu yesterday, Marcos said he wants to seek clarification on the halting of fresh obligations and disbursements of foreign assistance and to influence Trump’s policy-making on immigration.

“I will meet with President Trump because I should, because there’s much that we need to discuss between the US and the Philippines in terms of trade, in terms of defense and security, and now, the new policy on immigration,” Marcos said.

There is no definite date yet for the meeting of the two leaders. If the visit pushes through, it would be Marcos’ fifth visit to the US as president.

With regard to Trump’s campaign against illegal immigrants, Marcos said Filipinos have become an important part of the US workforce.
“So, this is something that we have to work through and hopefully resolve. Because the Filipinos in the United States, especially, have really formed a very important part already of their workforce. So, we’ll see how we can influence the policy-making in terms of immigration,” the Philippine leader said.

Twenty-four Filipinos have been deported from the US before Trump assumed office, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Meanwhile, Marcos said the order freezing foreign assistance is not yet clear.

“Because even the agencies in the US government, they do not understand what it means. What will be affected? What aid funds will be reduced? So, well, this is what happens. These are the growing pains of a new administration,” he said.
“But I’m sure that with time, these policies will crystallize and will become clearer. And by which time, I will have a chance to visit with President Trump and we can discuss it with a better understanding of what the policies are.”

Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order to halt fresh obligations and disbursements of foreign assistance while reviews are being conducted for efficiency and consistency with US foreign policy. Humanitarian food programs and military assistance to Israel and Egypt are exempted from the directive.

National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan has said the order won’t have much impact on the Philippines’ flagship infrastructure projects since many of them are funded by multilateral lenders.

The US provided more than $151 million in assistance to the Philippines last year.