24 Filipinos deported from US due to alleged criminal activities

MANILA, Philippines — More than 20 Filipinos involved in illegal activities were deported from the United States, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Romualdez said. 

In an interview with DZBB on Sunday, January 26, Romualdez said the deported Filipinos were allegedly engaged in criminal activities.

“Meron silang, hindi naman very serious crimes, pero they were involved in some criminal activity. They were already deported, something like 24,” the official said.

(They were involved in some criminal activity, though not very serious crimes. They have already been deported, around 24 of them.)

In a January 20 interview, Romualdez, citing the US government, said that immigrants with criminal records, along with the 1.3 million immigrants already processed, will be prioritized for deportation.

This comes after the re-election of US President Donald Trump, who vowed to impose stricter laws against illegal immigrants. It can also be recalled that he promised a mass deportation of illegal aliens with the help of the military.

According to 2022 data from the US Department of Homeland Security, there are 350,000 illegal immigrants from the Philippines.

The Philippines ranks fifth among countries with the most illegal immigrants, followed by Honduras with 560,000.

In November of last year, the Department of Migrant Workers announced plans to assist more than 300,000 undocumented Filipinos in the U.S. who may face deportation.

Nothing to worry

In the same interview, Romualdez said that the Philippines has nothing to worry about the possible suspension of foreign aid by the US, stating that it is the US government's measure to review all foreign aid to other countries.

“Ito ay just in tough time for them para i-review ‘yung kanilang foreign aid sa lahat ng mga ibang bayan,” Romualdez said. 

(This is just a tough time for them to review their foreign aid to all other countries.)

On January 25, the US State Department issued a freeze order on foreign aid following Trump's order to pause and review whether aid allocations align with the government's foreign policy.

Exemptions to these freezes, however, include military financing to Israel and Egypt.

In July of last year, the United States announced $500 million in military funding for the Philippines to boost the country’s external defense amid China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea.