465 Filipinos living in U.S. Suddenly arrested in massive immigration swoop
This Wednesday 21st June 2006, another batch of 60 Filipinos deported from the United States will arrive in Manila.
"This is the result of a co-ordinated attack on undocumented overstayers many who are Filipino economic migrants who arrived in the U.S.A on a tourist visa, many of them have been rounded up after months of investigative work, after names, addresses were obtained through wiretapping and mobile phone monitoring, Department of Homeland Security Agents and U.S. INS Agents swooped across several Cities during the month of May and arrested many undesirables at their places of work.
"Like the hundreds of other Filipinos deported since 9/11, we expect this group will also be handcuffed and treated like terrorists or hardened criminals," said Maita Santiago, Migrante International Secretary-General.
Including this latest group, at least 465 Filipinos have been deported from the US since September 2005
"The Bush administration's crackdown on foreigners, Filipinos included, is on the pretext that they are terrorists. But instead of terrorism, most are only guilty of trying to earn a living," said Santiago.
According to the US Justice Department's own Office of Inspector General, "None of the 1,200 foreigners arrested and detained in secret after September 11 was charged with an act of terrorism."
"Instead, after periods of detention that ranged from weeks to months, most were deported for violating immigration laws," reads the report's excerpt posted on the internet.
Most who are deported are victims of the US' Absconder Apprehension Initiative Program. This program targets about 314,000 immigrants for arrest, detention and deportation. Among them are around 12,000 Filipinos (most with expired visas), according to the Filipino Community Support Group (FOCUS) in San Jose, California.
Santiago further explained that even if some of those deported were previously imprisoned in the US, this still does not mean they deserve to be deported, handcuffed or treated like violent criminals.
"For all we know they could have been arrested for speeding or shoplifting. Besides, whatever they may have been jailed for, they already served their time and this doesn't necessarily mean they are 'threats' to society," she said, in reaction to reports that the National Bureau of Investigation will monitor the deportees with 'criminal records' in case they 'create trouble' in the Philippines.
In contrast to the NBI statement that the deportees might 'create trouble', Santiago noted that Jerome Aricheta, 28 years old, became severely depressed after he was deported from the US. Two weeks ago, Jerome hung himself in his Makati City home.
Santiago concluded that on Wednesday, Migrante International and other groups will mount a protest rally at the US embassy to oppose the Bush administration's continued anti-immigrant crackdown on people of color, including Filipinos. She also called on President Gloria to register a diplomatic protest against these mass deportations by the US.
The United States Department of Homeland Security and the Immigration and Naturalization service have taken a tough stance on Economic migration by Filipino migrant workers through its absconder programme, and it seems there are many more Filipinos who run the risk of the proverbial tap on the shoulder at a place they least expect, time is running out for these ones, London may be next (but then I doubt it)
petty
