The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has urged Filipinos in the United States to remain low profile and work on legalizing their stay as the US government intensifies its crackdown on undocumented migrants.
DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega advised overstaying Filipinos to avoid public rallies and focus on resolving their immigration status.
“Keep as low profile as possible and work on your legalization,” De Vega emphasized in an ABS-CBN News report, noting that Filipinos are unlikely to be the primary targets of the crackdown, which is focused on criminals and other groups deemed a threat to the US.
De Vega highlighted the contributions of Filipinos to the US economy, saying they are generally productive and conservative members of society. He expressed confidence that there will not be a significant increase in the number of deported Filipinos.
In the event of deportations, De Vega reassured that the Philippine government has a P1-billion fund to assist overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) shows that only 9.8% of the 2.16 million OFWs in 2023 were in North and South America. De Vega estimated there are around 300,000 Filipino workers in the US.
