Trump Immigration Overhauls Signal Filipino Families Wave Of Deportations

After winning the United States 2024 presidential polls, Donald Trump’s Project 2025, promises to be the “largest” deportation program in US history, threatens a mass expulsion of undocumented immigrants, naturalized citizens, and green card holders alike.

In response to Trump’s win, Philippine Ambassador to the US, Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez, urged undocumented Filipinos to seek legal counsel. “If they want to stay in the US legally, now is the time to start the process,” Romualdez advised.

This echoes the concerns across the Filipino-American community, as fear of deportation looms for thousands facing potential displacement from their US born families.

The Keeping Families Together program, overseeing immigrants married to American citizens was reversed last Thursday, November 7, leaving mixed-status families with fewer paths to remain unified.

Neighboring countries are already considering stricter immigration measures, preparing for a surge of applicants fleeing the US once Trump invokes the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, the unlawful detention or deportation of immigrants without a hearing, fulfilling his campaign promise of dismantling legal US immigration policies on day one.

After flipping key battleground states red in a pivotal 2024 election, twice impeached convicted felon, Trump secures second term shot as 47th US President, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris with 301 electoral votes to her 226.