Filipino Ambassador Issues Warning to US Green Card Holders Amid Crackdown

Jose Manuel Romualdez, the Philippine ambassador to the United States, issued a warning to green card holders on Friday amid the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.

Newsweek has reached out to the State Department for comment via email.

Why It Matters

President Donald Trump pledged to carry out the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history on the campaign trail and quickly moved to put those plans in place upon his return to the White House in January.

Trump has said these efforts would target individuals who are in the country illegally and have committed violent crimes, but concerns are growing that green card holders, regarded as lawful residents, as well as individuals in the U.S. on student visas, may be detained by immigration authorities.

What to Know

Romualdez, in remarks reported by the Manila Standard, warned that the U.S. government can "revoke" anyone's green card and that holding one is "not a right."

"Even if you are a green card holder, as explained by the State Department, it's a privilege granted to you. It means you can live in the United States permanently. But again, it's a privilege, not a right. So they can revoke it," he said.

One high-profile case of a green card holder involves Lewelyn Dixon, a 64-year-old who immigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines five decades ago. She was recently detained at the Seattle-Tacoma International upon returning from a trip to the Philippines, possibly over a non-violent conviction for embezzlement from 2001.

Romualdez also addressed her detainment.

"She returned to the United States, and her past case—which I think occurred in 2001—came up. But as I said, in these situations, there's always an exchange of information among all the agencies in the US. That's why I always tell our fellow countrymen to be prepared for anything," he said.

A 34-year-old man from Germany named Fabian Schmidt, who had reportedly renewed his legal permanent resident status in 2024, was also detained at the Boston Logan International Airport earlier this month. Officials haven't said why he is being detained.

Meanwhile, other individuals studying in the U.S. on student visas have also been detained over their involvement in pro-Palestinian protests amid the Israel-Hamas war, including Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts University doctoral student. She was one of four students who wrote an opinion piece in The Tufts Daily criticizing Israel last year, but officials have accused her of engaging in activities supporting Hamas.

What People Are Saying

Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin of the Department of Homeland Security previously told Newsweek: "The Trump administration is enforcing immigration laws—something the previous administration failed to do. Those who violate these laws will be processed, detained, and removed as required."

David Leopold, an immigration attorney at UB Greensfelder in Ohio, previously told Newsweek: "I feel like anxiety is higher. I think what people have realized over the last weeks and days is that immigration status in the United States can be challenged, it can be revoked, and there can be serious consequences."

What Happens Next?

Trump's immigration crackdown is likely to continue throughout the next few years, though many of these cases are facing legal challenges.