Envoy, consuls to help Pinoy illegals in US

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine ambassador to the United States and Philippine consuls will meet next month to plan how they can assist Filipinos illegally staying in the US after president-elect Donald Trump announced he will carry out his promise of mass deportation of undocumented migrants.?

In an interview over dzBB radio, Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez said yesterday that the consuls from Guam, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco will hold a planning session at the Philippine embassy in Washington to help illegal Filipino immigrants who may face deportation.?

“That’s one of our top priorities. All the consulates here in America will be gathering in Washington to discuss how we’ll go about it,” Romualdez said.?He added they would also be seeking directions from their home office (Department of Foreign Affairs), Department of Migrant Workers and Malacañang to find ways to help the undocumented Filipinos.

After he spoke with people from the Trump campaign, Romualdez said he believed Trump will carry out his promise of mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, as many Filipinos illegally staying in the US are now worried about the plan.?

“This time, it is serious… It is an issue to them and it led to president Trump’s election. There are many illegal immigrants in the US now,” Romualdez said mostly in Filipino.?Trump repeatedly vowed to carry out the largest deportation effort in American history.?

He advised Filipinos in the US without any kind of status not to wait to be deported but to voluntarily return to the Philippines or start working on their documents to legalize their status.