On May 18, the U.S. Senate adopted by unanimous vote an amendment to grant immigrant status to children of Filipino World War II veterans.
The amendment, introduced by Democratic Senators Daniel Akaka and Dan Inouye of Hawaii, would allow sons and daughters of naturalized Filipino World War II veterans to obtain a family-sponsored immigrant visa without being subject to direct numerical limitations.
Akaka read a 20-minute statement on the Senate floor. “This would rectify a long-standing unjust gap in our nation’s immigration policy,” he said.
Eric Lachica, executive director of American Coalition for Filipino Veterans, lauded the Senate approval, saying that Filipino veterans served the U.S. Army and for that, they deserve to be treated as full Americans.
Lachica said the Senate approval of the amendment would serve to provide Filipino war veterans with a partial measure of U.S. veterans’ recognition that they were unjustly denied since 1946.
Lachica, however, said most Filipino veterans who became US citizens have become estranged from their families.
They had to suffer from separation from their families, as their children were not automatically granted US citizenship.
“Even if their children’s immigration petition is approved, they still have to wait for a dozen years,” Lachica said.
Many Filipinos with parents or brothers and sisters who are U.S. citizens wait up to more than 25 years to get a green card.
Filipino advocacy groups in the United States are clamoring for a comprehensive immigration reform that would lead to a shorter waiting time for the granting of immigrant visas.
The American Coalition for Filipino Veterans, Inc. of Virginia thanked Senator Akaka and Inouye for introducing the bill and the amendment.
“On behalf of 4,000 members of our national advocacy organization, we highly commend your leadership in introducing [the Senate amendment] to grant special immigrant status to children of Filipino World War II veterans for the purpose of family reunification,” the coalition said in a statement.
“It is high time for our elderly Filipino-American heroes to have their children join them in their twilight years in the United States,” it said.
