No win situation for migrants, Migrante says of impending Obama victory

MANILA, Philippines - An Obama historic win augurs well for migrants and minorities in the United States.

No way, said Migrante International, as it concludes its fifth congress today at the Communications Foundation for Asia in Manila. As of press time, America votes in one of the most exciting presidential elections in history with Barack Obama leading over John McCain in early results.

Outgoing Migrante Chairperson Connie Bragas-Regalado sees Obama’s victory as an “American illusion.” With the current financial crisis in the US, not even Obama’s rise can stop the surge of economic meltdowns and hostility against migrants, she said.

Already, financial agencies have noted a drop in the remittance of Latin American immigrants to their families across the US border. Filipinos are not far behind, said Bragas-Regalado, as more Pinoys lose their second and first jobs and their homes as well. Some 750,000 jobs in the US have already been wiped out and families have been evicted from 3.2 million homes.

Also, factory raids have continued, plus arrests and detention, according to reports coming to Migrante, Bragas-Regalado said. Target are the 12 million undocumented migrants in the US. Four million Filipinos, the largest outside the Philippines, are in the US, with half suspected as “TNT” or undocumented.

For all his pro-migrant posturing, Obama is no different from McCain, said Bragas-Regalado. Both have geared for fines and further restrictive measures to contain undocumented migrants.

For example, said Bragas-Regalado, both have actually called for a 700 mile fence between Mexico and the United States to strengthen security and border controls. Expect a massive violation of rights, said Bragas-Regalado.

Obama also wants to go back to the American dream, said Bragas-Regalado. But the migrants have alreasy paid a high price for it, she stressed.. "The banks have already gained advantage over them, leaving them penniless, and hounded by the police and immigration authorities."