Nevada would not be the state that it is today without the contributions made by the Filipino-American community. The hard work of our Filipino-American community continues to help move our state forward and makes our state stronger. I am proud to represent thousands Filipino-Americans in Nevada, and I am deeply grateful for what they have done for our state and our country.
Last month, I was proud to cosponsor a resolution recognizing October as Filipino American History Month to honor the rich culture and tradition of the thousands of Filipino-Americans who have made an indelible mark on the Silver State and the United States.
Over 260,000 Filipinos fought alongside American soldiers during World War II. Despite their service and sacrifice, these deserving veterans were denied the U.S. citizenship they were promised. Those veterans were finally eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship in 1990 but even those who became citizens have been waiting for up to 20 years to reunite with close family members. I have worked for many years trying to help reunite Filipino veterans and their families, but our broken immigration system has sadly delayed – and prevented – these families from coming together. However, President Obama’s recent executive action, will help modernize this system, and I am pleased that a new policy will expedite the reunification of Filipino families.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will work with the State Department to create a new program that will allow certain family members of Filipino-American World War II veterans to receive parole to come to the United States. These are all important steps to righting the wrongs of the past, and also to ensure that aging veterans can receive the support and care that they need. There are only approximately 6,000 Filipino World War II veterans still alive and living in the U.S. and they are have been waiting to reunite with family for decades. It is important to note that individuals cannot apply for the program at this time, and that DHS will inform the public when the application process is in place.
I remain committed to helping Filipino veterans reunite with their families and honoring the promises made to them while fighting on behalf of the United States. I will continue to work with my colleagues so that they can get the recognition and support they deserve. I know how much the Filipino-American community has done for the state of Nevada and our country, and to them I would like to say: Maraming salamat po!
