The Filipino World War II Veterans Parole (FWVP) program
was implemented on June 8, 2016 by the Obama Administration.
The FWVP allows some family members of Filipino World War II veterans
with approved immigrant petitions to enter the U.S.
where they can wait for their visas to become available.
The policy roots are based on a 1941 U.S. promise to Filipinos
broken in 1946 by the U.S. government.
USCIS Director Leon Rodriguez proclaimed the new program
was intended to honor "the thousands of Filipinos
who bravely enlisted to fight for the United States during World War II."
His comments overstated the reality.
After 70 years of political delay
most Filipino World War II veterans had already passed away
and the citizenship opportunity for their families no longer exists.
Only 2,000 to 6,000 Filipino veterans are still alive.
World War II Promises of U.S. Citizenship
The U.S. began recruiting Filipino soldiers in the early part of 1941.
In exchange, the soldiers were promised veteran benefits and U.S. citizenship.
At that time, war with Japan was imminent.
The U.S. wanted to build a military defense force in the South Pacific.
Due to lack of training and equipment
half of the 260,000 Filipinos who signed up
died in combat that took place in the Bataan Peninsula in May 1942.
The captured soldiers were forced to march 62 miles.
The march lasted from 5 to 9 days.
This is known as the Bataan Death March.
Many Filipinos were physically abused.
Those who could not continue were executed.
Thousands died in captivity.
The living became slave laborers.
In 1944 a Filipino Guerilla army sprung up
in response to the Japanese occupation.
They joined forces with U.S. troops under Gen. Douglas McArthur.
Liberation efforts began in October 1944
after the Filipino soldiers were officially inducted into the United States army.
This culminated in victory during the summer of 1945.
The 1946 Rescission Act: Broken Promises
After the war U.S. President Truman signed two laws.
Together they’re known as the 1946 Rescission Act.
The Act annulled the U.S. promise of citizenship to Filipino veterans.
The Act also cancelled the grant of veteran benefits to them.
Out of 66 countries that allied with the U.S.
only Filipinos were denied military benefits.
Since then efforts to rectify the effects of the 1946 Act have been ongoing.
The Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Policy is part of this broken promise legacy.
