MANILA — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has yet to see the “so-called mass deportation of Filipinos” in the United States, DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said during the Kapihan sa QC on Sunday, April 27.

Cacdac added the country has a good relationship with US, and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo is coordinating with his US counterparts.

“Sa ngayon ay hindi natin nararamdaman ang tinatawag—ang mga lumabas na mga mass deportation ng mga Pilipino. At mahusay ang ating ugnayan, of course, with the United States,” Cacdac said in response to a question on apprehensions among Filipinos in the US with regards to the return of the Trump presidency and its expected impact.

US President Donald Trump previously said he would start deporting “millions and millions of criminal aliens.”

Some Filipinos risk deportation amid Trump's immigration crackdown: ambassador

According to Cacdac, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed the DMW to prepare for the possibility of a mass deportation of Filipinos.

“Although we stand ready. Direktiba naman niyan ng ating mahal na pangulo. The president leads the diplomatic way. Bilang ating head of state siya ang nakikipag-usap sa kanyang counterpart—si Pangulong Trump sa US. But also at the same time, sa Department of Migrant Workers, may direktiba rin siyang paghandaan. Kaya mayroon tayong paghandaan naman dito sa eventuality na ito,” Cacdac said.

Citing data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Pew Research Center estimates as of 2022, 4.1 million Filipino Americans live in the US.

DMW to assist Filipinos in US amid Trump's immigration crackdown

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