The Philippine government has asked the United States for something really important: If there are Filipinos in the U.S. who are staying there illegally or need to be sent back, please send them straight home to the Philippines — not to another country like Libya. 🛑🌍
This message was shared by Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez, the top Filipino official in the U.S.
What’s Going On? 🤔
Some people from different countries, including the Philippines, are in the U.S. without permission (we call them “illegal migrants”). Some of them are now being deported, which means they are being sent out of the U.S. by the government.
But here’s the scary part: some reports say that a group of these migrants might be sent first to Libya or other countries, before being flown to their home countries. 🛫➡️🇱🇾➡️❓
The Philippine government doesn’t like that idea at all. They want to make sure Filipinos are brought straight back home, not sent to dangerous or unknown places. 🙅♂️🚫
“Bring Our People Back Home Safely” — PH Ambassador 🇵🇭
Ambassador Romualdez said, “If a person is Filipino, they should be sent back to the Philippines. That’s their home.”
He also said, “Even if they broke a law, we will still accept them and deal with it ourselves.”
He added, “We love our people. It’s in our nature to welcome them back.” ❤️🇵🇭
Why Not Libya? 😨
Libya has a very unstable government right now. Even Libya said they don’t want to accept people being deported without asking them first.
Some deportees from other countries were also reportedly sent to dangerous prisons in El Salvador. That’s why the Philippines is asking the U.S. to be more careful with Filipinos.
The U.S. and Deportation Rules 🧾
Since former President Donald Trump returned to the White House, he’s made stricter immigration rules and is now trying to send many illegal migrants back to their home countries.
Ambassador Romualdez said that this is normal: “Every country has the right to deport people who break immigration laws. Even the Philippines does this.”
But he wants to make sure Filipinos are not put in danger during the process.
Help Is Coming for Filipinos with Deportation Problems 🤝
The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. is also planning to team up with immigration lawyers in the U.S. to help Filipinos who have problems with their documents or are facing deportation.
Romualdez said there might be around 100 to 300 Filipinos across the U.S. who could be deported soon. This is a small number compared to other countries, but still important.
He also gave advice: “If you are in the U.S. without proper papers, it’s better to leave voluntarily.”
“Always follow the rules,” he said. “You might get away with something today, but not forever.”
PH and US: Still Friends and Allies 🇺🇸🇵🇭
Despite all this, the Philippines and the U.S. remain strong allies. In fact, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the Philippines recently — the first Asian country he visited in the region.
