A lesson for migrants

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

There is now a pending case in the United States involving a Filipino couple who are facing deportation after living and working in that country for more than 20 years. The case has roused both interest and sympathy from other Filipinos now settled in the States and have been assimilated there as Filipino-Americans or Fil-Ams.

The couple, Pedro and Salvacion Servano were jolted from their daily routines recently when they received notices from the American immigration office that they were due for deportation, and it could take place anytime. Now Pedro, who is a doctor of medicine, and who has been practicing successfully in the country, had come to the U.S. on petition of his parents who had already been living there for some time. His fiancée, Salvacion had also applied for a visa and before he left, they decided to get married. She joined him later and they settled, brought up four children who are now grown up, two of them already professionals.

But somehow, only this year, the so-called long arm of the law got into the records of their status and it was found out that while they had applied for visas as single persons, they were already married when they came to the U.S. The immigration people looked at this as a misrepresentation of facts and forthwith, notified them that they were to be deported.

Lawyers fro the two worked overtime and friends, neighbors and associates tried hard to vouch for them and convince the immigration office of their worthiness to be American citizens. The agitations must have touched a chord and the latest report says that the deportation has been deferred. Note that it is only deferred, not cancelled.

We do not know how the Servanos' predicament will be resolved. But we hope other Filipinos who are also planning to migrate to other lands learn a lesson from their case and be more open in preparing their requirements. It will be painful to be turned down at the outset, but it will be worse to be sent packing after staying in another country for 20 years and then get deported like some common law-breaker.*