Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez said the Trump administration will prioritize the deportation of illegal immigrants linked to criminal or terrorist activities when it assumes office on January 20.
Citing information obtained from US law enforcement agencies, the Philippine envoy said Thursday that the incoming administration is poised to expel undocumented aliens who are most likely to pose national security risks.
“They [Trump administration] will begin with those with criminal records and those involved in terrorist activities,” he told Super Radyo dzBB in Filipino.
Romualdez also said that he recently had an informal meeting with the President-elect at a golf club, in which he made a positive pitch for Filipinos in the US.
“I congratulated him and told him that many Filipinos voted for him,” he said.
The Filipino diplomat said that Trump responded by saying, “’Ah yeah, we love Filipinos, we love Filipinos.”
It can be recalled that immediately following Trump’s victory, Romualdez advised Filipinos illegally staying in the US to go home to the Philippines or legitimize their stay in the US, and not wait until they are caught and deported.
The President-elect earlier said he aims to deport all illegal immigrants over his four-year term but wants a deal to protect so-called “Dreamer” immigrants.
Romualdez also advised Filipinos illegally staying in the US to secure the services of sympathetic immigration lawyers to find out if they can legitimize their stay there or in case they find themselves subjected to deportation proceedings.
He added that there are Filipino-American lawyers who are willing to help illegal immigrants with their cases.
“So they can find out if they can remain here in America,” he explained.
According to Romualdez, about 300,000 to 350,000 Filipinos are illegally staying in the US.
The Philippine ambassador also expressed concern that illegal immigrants could end up as slave employees in order to stay in the US.
“Some of them [illegal aliens] are hired [by businesses] but are not paid the proper wages,” Romualdez pointed out.
Meanwhile, Romualdez said Trump informally invited Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders to his inauguration.
“President Trump’s invitation to President Xi was very informal… he [also] called the Hungarian President so it’s very informal… if they wanted to attend then they should,” the envoy said.
However, Romualdez stressed that there has been no formal invitation for heads of states to attend the inauguration, saying only ambassadors represented in Washington are invited to the event as a matter of policy.