The Philippine Consulate General in New York confirmed that some Filipinos are being denied entry when they arrive at U.S. borders. This usually happens for two main reasons:
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Visa Problems – Some Filipinos carry tourist visas but are suspected of planning to work instead of just traveling. Immigration officers check this during border interviews, and if the answers don’t match the visa, they can refuse entry.
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Past Records – Some travelers are flagged because of past criminal records. They may not have gone to prison, but immigration officers see old issues in their files, which can stop them from entering.
Consul General Senen Mangalile explained this during the Consulate’s “Media Hour.” He said that while cases are not very many—less than ten at present—they are taken seriously.
Cases of Deportation
The Consulate is also monitoring the cases of two Filipinos in Boston and Philadelphia. These individuals already served prison time but are now being processed for deportation. Deportation takes a long time because:
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It is expensive. Deportees need tickets.
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Sometimes ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) must escort people.
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In some cases, even chartered flights are needed.
Because of this, even if a Filipino offers to go home voluntarily, they must still wait for their turn once they are in the deportation system.
DFA Clarification
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) clarified that only a small number of Filipinos with tourist visas are denied entry to the U.S. DFA spokesperson Angelica Escalona said these cases are “few and far between.”
Help for Filipinos Abroad
The Consulate, with help from DFA, can assist some Filipinos with voluntary deportation, but only on a case-to-case basis.
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If a person’s life or welfare is not in danger, the government may not cover the cost.
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The Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) office reported that more Filipinos are asking about voluntary departure.
What Filipinos Can Do
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) encourages undocumented immigrants without criminal records to leave the U.S. voluntarily. Doing this may improve their chances if they want to return legally in the future.
Consul General Mangalile repeated what Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez advised:
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If you don’t see any hope of getting legal status in the U.S., going back to the Philippines might be your best choice.
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Returning home can be as simple as buying a ticket and boarding a plane.
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If your passport has issues, the Consulate can help you get a travel document so you can fly home.
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Leaving voluntarily means you won’t be arrested, and this may help you enter the U.S. legally in the future.
But, if you believe you still have a chance to stay legally, Mangalile said the best step is to get help from an immigration lawyer. The Philippine government cannot provide free lawyers for everyone without status, so families must make their own decisions.
This situation shows the conflict between the hopes of Filipinos who want to stay in the U.S. and the strict rules of immigration officers. Some are left facing hard choices: stay and risk deportation, or return home and try again in the future.
