Anticipating the Trump immigration policy

Over the past week, one of the main topics of discussion not only here in Washington, DC, but in many parts of the globe is the immigration policy of president-elect Trump.

- AMBASSADOR B. ROMUALDEZ

Many of our media friends from the Philippines asked us how it will affect many undocumented Filipino immigrants in the United States.

A report published by the Pew Research Center estimates that the number of illegals in the US has grown to 11 million in 2022, although these numbers "do not reflect events since mid-2022" as the unauthorized immigrant population "has likely grown over the past two years based on several alternative data sources."

Based on "Agenda 47" that outlines the policy plans of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States plus his pronouncements, there will be mass deportation of illegal immigrants using federal law enforcement agencies and the military.

Undocumented immigrants will not receive benefits like public housing and shelter, food stamps, health care, and welfare checks. The southern border will be closed to asylum seekers, while the "catch-and-release" practice of releasing migrants while they await immigration hearings will be suspended.

Birthright citizenship (acquiring citizenship by being born in the US) for children of undocumented immigrants will be denied. Tourists who give birth in the US will no longer be allowed to extend their visa, and for the baby to acquire citizenship, one of the parents must be a US citizen or resident.