The Trump administration’s latest move to create a registry for undocumented immigrants is a chilling step toward mass surveillance and deportation. By requiring all undocumented individuals to self-report, provide fingerprints, and disclose their addresses, the administration is laying the groundwork for widespread targeting of vulnerable communities. While the government justifies this measure under the Immigration and Nationality Act, it is clear that the real objective is not just compliance—it is deportation.

A Registry with Historical Parallels
The last time the U.S. implemented a sweeping alien registration program was during World War II, under the Alien Registration Act of 1940. That effort was largely aimed at identifying so-called subversives,

particularly suspected communists. Today, under Trump, the rhetoric is different, but the goal remains the same: to make undocumented immigrants visible to the state so they can be expelled more easily.

For the millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S., this registry poses a terrifying dilemma. Those who register essentially hand the government the information it needs to track and deport them. Those who refuse to register risk criminal prosecution. The National Immigration Law Center rightly warns that this is not about ensuring compliance—it is about creating a system that will facilitate mass deportations.
The Filipino Dilemma: Abandoned by Their Own Government?

For undocumented Filipinos in the U.S., this policy adds another layer of hardship. The Philippines’ Ambassador to the U.S., Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez, has reportedly encouraged Filipinos to leave voluntarily. However, many suspect that Romualdez has gone further—tipping off immigration officials about his own kababayans in an effort to curry favor with Trump. The ultimate goal, they believe, is to strengthen ties between Trump and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., even if it comes at the expense of undocumented Filipinos.

If these suspicions are true, it represents a shameful betrayal. Instead of protecting Filipinos abroad, Romualdez would be actively participating in their persecution. It is one thing for the U.S. government to implement harsh immigration policies; it is another for a Filipino official to aid in the targeting of his own people.

Why Filipinos Choose to Stay Undocumented
Many Filipinos in the U.S. remain undocumented not out of choice, but out of necessity. Corruption and economic instability in the Philippines have driven them to seek better opportunities abroad. The Marcos Jr. administration has done little to improve the situation at home, making it nearly impossible for returning Filipinos to secure decent jobs. Faced with the choice between returning to a country with no opportunities or staying in the U.S. and living in the shadows, many choose the latter.

As one Filipino immigrant put it, they would rather follow the storyline of Catch Me If You Can than return home to poverty and corruption. This speaks volumes about the failure of the Philippine government to provide for its own people.
What Comes Next?

The Trump administration’s registry is likely to face legal challenges, but that offers little comfort to the millions of undocumented immigrants already living in fear. For Filipinos, the added betrayal of their own envoy makes the situation even more painful. Instead of protecting their rights and seeking humane solutions, their government seems more interested in pleasing Washington.

History will judge this moment harshly. It is a test not just for America’s values, but for the loyalty of Philippine leaders to their own people. Will they stand with the undocumented Filipinos struggling for a better life? Or will they sell them out for political convenience? The answer may shape the fate of thousands in the years to come.(TAMBULI NG BAYAN-Ronnie Estrada)

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