Filipinos in ICE detention await repatriation

NEW YORK — Two Filipino nationals convicted of crimes in the United States are awaiting removal after completing their respective sentences as the Philippine Consulate General in New York expedites their travel documents and continues to monitor their welfare.

A travel document has been issued for one detainee in Pennsylvania, while the Consulate awaits paperwork for the other in Massachusetts, according to Rovald Valdez, the Consulate’s Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) officer.

Consular personnel have maintained contact with detention facilities to check on the Filipino detainees’ condition and support the repatriation process.  

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“There were no requests for any assistance from them nor from the family except for the issuance of their travel documents, which the consulate issued immediately,” Valdez told USNewsRank. “Their plane tickets are being shouldered by the US government as in other cases of similar circumstances.”

Both detainees face no further legal risks, having served their sentences, and are awaiting final clearance based on administrative requirements and facility caseloads.  

Direct consular access remains limited, per detention facility policies, making direct contact with the deportees difficult. Instead, the Consulate relies on facility updates and family communication.

Meanwhile, another Filipino green-card holder, Sonny Lasquite, was detained by immigration authorities recently as he returned from his vacation in the Bahamas.

Lasquite’s detention is similar to the cases of other Filipino green-card holders, including Lewelyn Dixon and Maximo “Kuya Max” Londonio, who were held at the airport as they returned from vacation and taken into custody due to long-resolved criminal records.

Self-deportation

In the face of large-scale immigration enforcement operations, many immigrants are increasingly choosing to self-deport to their country of origin.

Queens-based immigration lawyer Ed Carasco, however, has urged undocumented Filipinos to get legal advice before making decisions about leaving the country.  

“As an attorney, I advise undocumented Filipinos in the United States to consult with a qualified immigration lawyer before deciding to leave the country voluntarily,” Carasco told USNewsRank. 

“While the desire to return home may be rooted in good intentions, leaving the US after accruing unlawful presence can trigger immigration consequences — including a bar to reentry for three or 10 years, or permanently, depending on the circumstances.  

“There may be legal options available that individuals are not aware of, such as potential relief based on family, employment, humanitarian grounds or changes in policy. A thorough legal review is essential before making any irreversible decisions. Every case is unique, and what might seem like a simple decision could have long-term consequences.”  

Migrant advocacy organizations are also voicing concern over what they describe as a lack of active intervention from Philippine officials in the US.  

Tanggol Migrante Movement

Tanggol Migrante Movement, a newly launched advocacy coalition, condemned what it called the coerced “voluntary” departure of Filipino migrants and called for a comprehensive government plan to support nationals facing deportation.  

“Filipinos know all too well the pain of family separation by being forced to migrate because of a lack of jobs and economic stability in the Philippines. Now, our community alongside many other migrant communities in the US are faced with even more separation as our loved ones are being kidnapped and detained by ICE, deported, and some forced to ‘voluntarily’ depart to our home countries,” the group said in a statement to USNewsRank.  

“There is nothing voluntary about being left with no other option but to leave the country. Recent cases of deportations by ICE and ‘voluntary’ departures are exactly what we as Tanggol Migrante have been raising the alarm about from the moment we anticipated Trump’s re-election. These departures take place with very little intervention by the Philippine government while our kababayan are still in the US, and result in very little support once they arrive in the Philippines.  

“It is high time for the Philippine government to put forward a comprehensive and proactive plan to protect its nationals instead of dismissing valid concerns and self-congratulating themselves for their one-time visits and paltry sum of monetary assistance.”  

The Philippine Embassy has said its commitment is “to assist all Filipinos, regardless of immigration status, while respecting US law.”

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