Trump order: Undocumented Filipinos close to deportation

Undeterred by the legal setback it suffered when a Federal Appeals Court put on hold the executive order banning immigration from seven predominantly-Muslim countries, the administration of US President Donald Trump is preparing new orders that would intensify the crackdown on undocumented aliens in the United States.

Trump had hinted about a new version of the travel ban he issued earlier, and a pair of memos already outlined plans directing immigration officers to deport illegals who have engaged in “willful representation” and abused the benefits extended by the US government.  New policies are being put into place to “stem illegal immigration and facilitate the detection, apprehension, detention and removal of aliens who have no lawful basis to enter or remain in the United States.

Officials of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents would be hired in addition to 5,000 Customs and Border Protection agents, while other reports said the Trump government is also planning to deploy 100,000 of the US National Guard to help in the apprehension efforts on a nationwide scale.

The soon-to-be-issued revised order gives immigration agents broader powers to expedite removals or deportations without going through court proceedings, and key targets are those who have been in the US for less than two years. More detention centers will also be put up to hold those who will be caught by immigration agents.

Sources said the upcoming immigration order would enable local enforcement authorities, such as policemen and sheriffs’ deputies to “perform the functions of an immigration officer” such as the conduct of “investigation, apprehension and detention,” with unconfirmed reports claiming that more than 10 million undocumented immigrants are being targeted for deportation, and these include not only those charged with crimes or have been convicted, but also those who are perceived to be dangerous. During the administration of Barack Obama, some 2.8 million were deported, but majority were convicted felons and violent offenders.

Officials supportive of Trump say the government is merely doing what Congress and the office of the President has mandated them — and that is to enforce the laws of the United States — albeit more aggressively this time. The move is also supported by some Republicans who say poor enforcement has resulted in the massive entry of undocumented aliens in the US. One bright spot, however, is the continuation of Obama’s DACA or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program wherein children — known as DREAMers — who were brought illegally into the US would be protected from deportation.

Last week, ICE agents conducted sweeping raids in several areas that include Los Angeles — believed to have one of the biggest populations of undocumented immigrants that include Filipinos. Much earlier, sources in Washington informed us that some 310,000 Filipinos are in the DHS list of individuals up for deportation, but the number could go as high as 800,000.

While several organizations, including churches, have been extending assistance to Filipinos who are illegally staying in the US, some opportunists take advantage of the predicament of undocumented Pinoys by posing as “immigration experts” promising to help legalize their status — at very high cost, sometimes reaching $40,000.

In fact, there was this incident about a Filipino lawyer who kept charging for legal as well as documentation and processing fees for TNTs (tago ng tago which is a term for undocumented Filipinos) when in fact, he had no license to practice in the US. One of the victims who finally figured that he was being taken for a ride — after paying thousands of dollars — waited for the lawyer and gave him such a beating that left the lawyer almost crippled.

Actually, government agencies like the Department of Labor and Employment have already advised undocumented Filipinos to come home before the assumption of Trump as president due to the latter’s campaign promise to crack down on illegals. Those who have been overstaying must also be advised that if they voluntarily leave the US, they will have an opportunity to apply for another visa at a later time. However, if they insist on illegally staying in the US and end up getting deported, they might not be able to reapply or even if they do, it would be after a very, very long time.

The Trump immigration ban has also resulted in the spillover of undocumented individuals crossing the US border into Canada, with photographs showing dozens of individuals walking towards the province of Manitoba already circulating on the Internet. In fact, reports from the royal Canadian Mounted Police say they have observed a noticeable increase in the number of people crossing illegally to Canada.

These include a group of Somalians who illegally entered the US via Mexico, and then braved the deadly cold winter to get into Canada — almost losing their fingers in the process due to frostbite. A couple of men from Ghana however were not as fortunate because the doctors had to cut their fingers and took skin from their thighs to repair the other areas that were burned from frostbite. For these undocumented aliens, no sacrifice is big enough just to get out of the desperate circumstances they are in right now. As they say, desperate times call for desperate measures.

***

Email: [email protected]