“Mag BALIK BAYAN Sa Amerika”
ANTI-DEPORTATION CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED

Asian Pacific Islander (API) Legal Outreach Launches Holiday Campaign To Warn Filipino Travelers Against Leaving the United States If They Are Not U.S. Citizens And Have A Criminal Conviction

New Screening System at International Airports Can Easily Identify Criminal Convictions Of Non U.S. Citizens

San Francisco – On Saturday, December 3, 2005, Asian Pacific Islander (API) Legal Outreach will launch a campaign to warn Filipino travelers about new security measures at international airports that can identify green card holders and other non-U.S. citizens with past criminal convictions.

In 2003, the Department of Homeland Security (formerly the INS) started a highly efficient screening system at international airports (such as San Francisco, Oakland or San Jose) to identify permanent residents with past criminal convictions, in some cases going back 20 years or more. Many Filipino U.S. permanent residents who have previously traveled to the Philippines are now being placed in removal (deportation) proceedings when they return from their trip, based on these old criminal convictions. “Every week, we hear about more and more cases of Filipino families being placed into removal proceedings. Filipinos think they are safe because they have traveled to the Philippines before but we need to let the community know that if you are not a U.S. citizen and you have a criminal conviction, you may be jeopardizing your green card by traveling home to the Philippines over this holiday season,” says Kevin Pimentel, staff attorney at API Legal Outreach.

API Legal Outreach, in collaboration with Filipino American Social Services of Solano County, will begin their campaign with a press conference, presentation to the public and a free immigration legal clinic at the Bayanihan Center in the Seafood City Shopping Complex between 1:00PM – 3:00PM (3495 Sonoma Blvd., Vallejo, CA) on Saturday, December 3, 2005. Our Anti-Deportation Campaign features mini-Balikbayan boxes filled with brochures in English and Tagalog.

Immediately following the presentation, we will then conduct a FREE IMMIGRATION LEGAL CLINIC. If you cannot join us in Vallejo this Saturday, the following is a list of free immigration clinics we will be conducting during the month of December:

Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center– Individual consultation available
2121 Junipero Serra Boulevard, Daly City
(Every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the Month)
Thursday, December 8, 10:00AM – 12:00PM
Thursday, December 22, 10:00AM – 12:00PM

Daly City Public Library (Serramonte Main Branch) – Individual consultation available
40 Wembley Drive, Daly City
Tuesday, December 6, 5:30-8:30PM
Saturday, December 17, 10:00AM – 1PM

Veteran’s Equity Center (For Veterans and Their Families) – Individual consultation available
1099 Mission Street, San Francisco
(Every 1st and 3rd Friday of the Month)
Friday, December 16, 2005, 2:00-4:00PM

Filipino Community Center – Presentation and limited individual consultations available 35 San Juan Ave., San Francisco
Saturday, December 17, 2005, 6-9PM