WASHINGTON – Filipino and Filipino-American World War II veterans in the United States will soon be joined by certain family members who will be given parole to come here so they can take care of their loved ones, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services reaffirmed on Friday.
The announcement coincides with the start of Filipino-American History Month and a renewed campaign to press US legislators to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Filipino veterans.
The parole program first announced by the White House in July will benefit applicants currently in the family immigration system so backlogged, particularly for the Philippines, it can take decades for some to actually get a visa. Under the program set up by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), certain family members of veterans can jump the queue.
Officials estimate about 6,000 veterans, mostly in their 80s and 90s are still alive in the US today, many of them in poor health.