8 January 2004 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert today said that the Philippines welcomes reports that the US is planning to grant amnesty to undocumented aliens in the US but added that any amnesty plan should include all undocumented workers and not just those from selected countries.

“Such an amnesty program would ensure that undocumented Filipino workers in the US will be safe from abuse and exploitation.  It is not uncommon for unscrupulous employers to exploit undocumented workers,” Secretary Albert said.

US officials said the plan would seek to allow immigrants to enter the United States legally if jobs were waiting for them and would also include a way for some undocumented workers already in the country to move toward legal status.

 “As an amnesty program would help protect and ensure the rights of undocumented Filipinos in the US, we would welcome such a program, as long as it provides fair treatment for all undocumented workers and not only those from selected countries,” she added, amidst reports that the plan is intended to favor undocumented workers from Mexico.

“However, even though there may be plans for an amnesty for undocumented workers, we continue to discourage our countrymen from entering the US without proper documentation.  We would also like to warn the public against illegal recruiters who might use this latest news to victimize those hoping to work in the US,” the Secretary emphasized.

“We will continue to study and monitor developments on this matter closely and we are prepared to make the proper representations in order to ensure that any amnesty program will not be discriminatory,” Secretary Albert said. END.