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Filipina hardest hit by hostile US bills

(Innabuyog is sharing a press statement of GABRIELA Network-USA on a proposed legislation against immigrants in the US. )

How long exactly does a mother have to wait to feel the arms of her child again? The unavailability of a path to citizenship along with the current immigration backlogs would result in families being separated even more. The majority of Filipinos immigrate to the US through the family-sponsored immigration system. Last year, 73% of immigrants from the Philippines entered the U.S. through family petitions. However, the scenario is bleak. A U.S. citizen couple petitioning an unmarried adult child from the Philippines approximately waits 14 years before their child can join them in America. A U.S. citizen petitioning a sibling must wait even longer – about 22 years.

GABRIELA Network-USA joins millions of people across the United States who oppose the recent US legislation which threatens the human rights, civil liberties and welfare rights of all immigrants, and considers as criminals even those who attempt to help them – activists, charity and social services providers and their families. Such hostile provisions will harm female immigrants, including Filipinas, because they increasingly make up the majority of migrants.

As of 2000, 51% of international migrants were women and girls. Out of the eight to 12 million undocumented migrants currently in the US, four million or 35% are undocumented female immigrants.

The Philippines sent more than a million people last year, 75% of whom were women. In the US, the Filipino community is one of the fastest growing immigrant groups with an estimated 2.5 million to 3 million Filipinos, at least about one million of these are undocumented, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

Such legislations include detaining and deporting victims of human trafficking and domestic violence. This particular stipulation, along with the police’s involvement, especially makes women, including mail-order brides, more vulnerable because only a few or none of them would report abuse or seek help for fear of deportation. Moreover, many women would be more susceptible to labor exploitation, as none of these bills offers strong comprehensive labor rights for migrants.

GABRIELA Network condemns the attempts of anti-immigrant parties to portray immigrants as subclass citizens and human beings who do not contribute to American society. Immigrants are the backbone of America. Filipina nurses take care of the sick and the dying. Filipina domestic workers take care of its homes and children. Filipina teachers educate America’s future. Indeed, illegal immigrants alone provide America with a fiscal benefit of $10 billion a year and subsidize social security with $7 billion annually.

GABRIELA Network also condemns the negligence of the Philippine government, under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, for its lack of action to defend the Filipino community. Over 10% of Philippine nationals live and work abroad, the majority of them are in the United States. This group of nationals is keeping the Philippine economy afloat generating $10.7 billion in remittances in 2005 alone.

GABRIELA Network also denounces both the US and Philippine governments’ gross unwillingness to address the roots of the illegal immigration and that is the economic push factors that force more and more women to look for opportunities outside of their country. GABRIELA Network stands in solidarity with Filipina women and all people to push for a more comprehensive immigration reform, which places human rights and social justice above that of alleged security threats and economic exploitation.

Defend women’s migrant rights! Immigrant rights are human rights! No human is illegal! #

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