PHL Consulate General in New York, PAFCOM Host Know Your Rights Seminar on Immigration
Officers and members of PAFCOM headed by President Lito Pernia (8th from left) join Consul General Theresa Dizon-De Vega (5th from left), Leslie Tejada (6th from left), Deputy Consul General Kerwin Tate (5th from right). (Photos by NYPCG)
02 April 2018 NEW YORK – The Philippine Consulate General in New York, in partnership with the Philippine-American Friendship Committee, Inc. (PAFCOM) held a Know Our Rights Seminar on Immigration at the St. John the Baptist Church in Jersey City on March 24.
The seminar was attended by more than 40 Filipino community leaders and members of the Filipino community in Jersey City and nearby towns. Six Filipino immigration lawyers also attended the seminar and provided free immigration advice to participants immediately after the seminar. Leslie Tejada, senior staff of the Office of Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey discussed developments on US-immigration policy and laws on the legislative side.
Atty. Nicolas Caraquel, a Filipino immigration lawyer in New York, provided a briefing on important immigration information and actions to be taken by immigrants when confronted by immigration or law enforcement officers, in the light of the recent U.S. government thrusts and crackdown on illegal immigrants in the US, as well as implications in so-called “sanctuary” cities.
Attendees were spirited in their discussion of the do’s and don’ts when dealing with authorities, and expressed the community’s concerns about evolving US immigration policies.
Consul General Ma. Theresa Dizon-de Vega expressed the Philippine Consulate General’s readiness to extend assistance to our kababayans who are in distress and requested members of the Filipino community, especially the leaders, to disseminate information on the immigration programs in New Jersey and on the on-going ATN programs and tasks of the Consulate.
Taking advantage of the gathering of Filipinos, the Consulate General’s Overseas Voting Secretariat also conducted overseas voting registration during the seminar. END
For more information, visit www.newyorkpcg.dfa.gov.ph/ www.newyorkpcg.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinNY/
Open Forum portion at the Know Your Rights Seminar
Atty. Nicolas Caraquel (right) with Deputy Consul General Kerwin Tate shares important points during the seminar