WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Philippine government will not allow its citizens to be deported to a third country, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez affirmed on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.
He said the Philippines would accept any Filipino, regardless of their immigration status.
The ambassador issued the statement in response to inquiries from journalists participating in the "Friends, Partners, Allies Reporting Tour Program" regarding undocumented Filipino nationals who might face deportation to third countries.
This policy comes as US President Donald Trump’s revised immigration policies, initiated immediately after his second-term inauguration on January 20, 2025, aggressively pursue the use of third-country deportations. This involves removing migrants not to their country of origin but to a third country, often one with which the US has an agreement.
The ambassador explained that when talks of third-country deportations emerged, the Philippine Embassy promptly communicated with the US government, expressing the desire to be informed of any Filipino scheduled for deportation and to facilitate their return to the Philippines.
“The Philippine government made it very clear to the United States government that we will accept all Filipinos. In other words, we definitely would not want them to be deported to a third country,” Romualdez said. He added, “It’s not in our DNA to allow that to happen. We will accept any Filipino no matter what their status is and no matter what they are.”
The US government viewed this stance as a positive step. The ambassador reiterated that the Philippine government’s instructions are clear: neither Filipino citizens nor dual citizens should be deported to a third country. If Filipinos face criminal liability, the Philippine government will accept them, allowing them to face Philippine laws.
“But the bottom line is that if you're a Filipino, then you have every right to be deported to the Philippines, so not in El Salvador, definitely not. I think it's something that we Filipinos will never allow something like that to happen to us,” he said.
Romualdez estimated that between 250 and 300 Filipinos have been deported across the US since the start of the crackdown on illegal immigrants this year.
He said this number is relatively low, largely because most Filipinos, especially those who have resided in the US for many years, find ways to maintain legal status.
In April, Consul General Donna Rodriguez reported that no more than 20 undocumented Filipino migrants in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody are set for deportation.
The ambassador strongly advised Filipinos to always follow legal pathways.
"The best way to always have a good night's sleep is to always follow the legal path in anything that you do, that's the best advice you can give," he said.
He cautioned against “palusutan” (a Filipino term implying finding a loophole or dishonest way), stating, "that's the worst thing you can do because you think you can get away with something today, but you can't get away with it forever."
Romualdez encouraged individuals to voluntarily leave the country if legal avenues for staying are exhausted.
"If you self-deport, meaning you voluntarily leave the country... you are not in the system. So the opportunity for you to be able to come back is better than no chance at all. Once you've been deported, the chance of you coming back to the United States is almost zero," he said.
He also assured that if a Filipino is to be deported to a third country, the embassy would work to prevent it, but stressed that individuals must inform the embassy of their situation.
Romualdez emphasized that every country has the right to deport individuals staying illegally and that the Philippines enforces similar policies.
He said insisting on keeping undocumented nationals in the US is unrealistic. However, for those with a path to legal residency or permanent status, the embassy encourages seeking an immigration lawyer.
The Philippine government is also preparing to sign an agreement with Filipino community lawyers in the US to provide assistance to those needing immigration help.
"We're doing what we can to help the Filipinos that may face some deportation problems," Romualdez said. "But that is the most that our government can do because we have to maintain good relations with our host country."
He confirmed close collaboration with the Department of Migrant Workers to assist citizens with deportation or legal issues globally.
Regarding Filipino students, the ambassador said he had no specific information on how many Filipinos at Harvard were affected by recent pronouncements by President Trump, but expressed hope they were not involved in any anti-Semitic activities targeted by the administration. (MVG)