Duterte warns undocumented Filipinos in US: Get out
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte warned undocumented Filipinos in the United States to go home following US President Donald Trump's travel ban.
"So 'yung mga Pilipinong nandoon, you better be on the right track. If you are not allowed to stay there, you are overstaying, get out," Duterte said at a news conferencee early Monday.
The president said that he will not "lift a finger" if Filipinos in the US get caught due to violation of the law.
Trump issued an executive order temporarily banning travel from seven Muslim-major countries—Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and Sudan for the next 90 days. He also suspended the admission of all refugees for 120 days.
Duterte said that he will not interfere with Trump's policy as the new US president did not interfere with his war on drugs.
"Kasi nu'ng sinabi rin niya ako, 'We will not interfere in your drug war, you're doing it right.' So out of respect for that statement, I can only answer him in the manner that he has told me. Hindi ako makialam," Duterte said.
The president, however, said that he is willing to open the country as a sanctuary for Muslim refugees.
"Ako, in the name of humanity and God, we'll have to make some adjustments. If there is a compelling reason for us to offer sanctuary, I'm one of those na okay lang ako," the president said.
Trump's immigration order sowed more chaos and outrage across the country Sunday, with travelers getting detained at airports, panicked families searching for relatives and protesters marching against the sweeping measure that was blocked by several federal courts.
Before Trump signed the order, more than 67,000 refugees had been approved by the federal government to enter the US, said Jen Smyers, refugee policy director for Church World Service. More than 6,400 had already been booked on flights, including 15 families that had been expected over the next few weeks in the Chicago area from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Iran, Syria and Uganda.
The bulk of refugees entering the US are settled by religious groups. All that work ground to a halt after Trump signed the order. — with reports from Associated Press
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