The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has called on the government to create an inter-agency body “to synchronize efforts among government agencies, civil society, and Filipino organizations in the United States.”
“With nearly half a million undocumented Filipinos facing the potential threat of what could be the largest mass deportation in American history, the TUCP looks forward to working together with the Marcos Administration to consolidate efforts with urgency and dispatch to ensure the just transition of our kababayan,” TUCP Vice President Luis Corral said.
US President Donald Trump has announced plans to “deport all immigrants” residing in the US illegally in his four-year term and has expressed his intent to take executive action on his first day in office to end birthright citizenship, which currently grants citizenship to anyone born in the US regardless of their parents’ immigration status.
However, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez said there may yet be stumbling blocks to the implementation of Trump’s controversial EO as a growing number of states are challenging it in court.
“There are already about 22 states as of an hour ago that have filed a suit against this executive order because it [birthright citizenship] is precisely in their constitution. We don’t know where that’s going… and that’s going, of course, all the way to the US Supreme Court,” he told ANC on Wednesday.
Romualdez emphasized that even undocumented immigrants have rights, and that the Philippine Embassy has been in touch with lawyers to clarify those rights.
The diplomat said that Filipinos who have a legal path toward US citizenship should immediately get lawyers to help them with their immigration goals, while those who are there illegally should go back to the Philippines voluntarily.
For its part, TUCP, one of the Philippines’ largest trade unions, affirmed its readiness to collaborate with the Marcos administration “to protect and promote the welfare of our kababayan in the United States spearheaded by an intensified information and education campaign to reach out to them about their rights, available resources, and assistance, especially accessible, affordable—ideally free—legal assistance.”
“We strongly advocate for a unified, coherent response, ranging from legal assistance to reintegration services, not only to enable the Government to effectively oversee these initiatives but also to empower our kababayan with a one-stop shop for accessible and comprehensive services,” Corral said.
He also highlighted the challenges faced by Filipinos due to illegal migration, particularly the lack of stable, well-paying jobs to support their families, stressing the need for equitable opportunities.
“We are prepared to accelerate efforts to reintegrate returning kababayan not just through employment facilitation but also through public employment programs led by the swift full implementation of the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act in synergy with DOLE and DTI,” Corral concluded.
As this developed, Tom Homan, the incoming border czar under Trump, affirmed that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “will start arresting public safety threats and national security threats on day one.”
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “TUCP seeks gov’t action on Filipino TNTs under Trump’s immigration crackdown.”