PH envoy advises undocumented Filipinos in US to leave or fix papers

Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez advised undocumented Filipinos in the US to voluntarily leave or process their documents amid concerns over stricter immigration policies under President-elect Donald Trump.

Romualdez stated that Trump's victory was partly due to his promises of tightening borders and deporting undocumented immigrants, which he expects the new administration to prioritize.

The ambassador urged the estimated 250,000 to 300,000 undocumented Filipinos in the US not to wait for deportation, as it would permanently bar them from re-entering the country.

To help address the situation, Philippine consuls from various US cities will hold a meeting in December at the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. to discuss assistance strategies for illegal Filipino immigrants.

The consuls will also seek direction from the home office, the Department of Migrant Workers, and Malacañang on how to best support these individuals.

Romualdez suggested that voluntarily leaving would allow Filipinos to potentially re-enter the US in the future by following legal procedures.