The detention of a 64-year-old Philippine-born green card holder who has lived in the United States for five decades has raised alarm among Filipino and Asian-American communities over the security of their immigration status.
Observers say the case highlights the drastic shift in US immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump, with even documented immigrants now at risk of being caught up in politically motivated crackdowns. Legal scholars warn that the rapid pace and sweeping scope of recent actions – often based on vague legal grounds – were eroding long-standing protections of due process.