69 Pinoys in US ICE Custody Await Deportation to PH

A total of 69 Filipinos are currently in the custody of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as they await deportation to the Philippines, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Affairs Eduardo de Vega confirmed the figure during a Senate hearing, clarifying that contrary to circulating reports, none of the detained Filipinos have been sent to a third country.

“There are some cases, but all are to the Philippines. None were brought to another country,” De Vega stressed.

His statement came after Senator Erwin Tulfo urged the DFA to ensure that detained Filipinos are not transferred to a third country, such as El Salvador.

De Vega assured Tulfo that the Philippines has an internal arrangement with the US regarding the deportation of Filipino nationals.

“Every time they arrest a Filipino—not just for deportation, but also if there’s a criminal case—they are required to inform the Philippine government,” he explained.