IMMIGRATION CORNER
By Michael J. Gurfinkel, Esq.

FOR more than a decade now, I have been writing this column, “Immigration Corner,” in an effort to help readers understand and be aware of the complex laws, issues and procedures of working or immigrating to the U.S. “legally.”

In an effort to reach Filipinos worldwide, I decided to team up with ABS-CBN and The Filipino Channel (TFC), for a new TV show, devoted to U.S. immigration issues and topics.

The one-hour show, called “Citizen Pinoy,” will premiere in the U.S. this coming Sunday (May 8) at 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on TFC.

For viewers in the Philippines, it will be shown on Saturday (May 14) at 11 a.m. on ANC (ABS-CBN News Channel).

The format of the “Citizen Pinoy” is very much like the very popular “Oprah Winfrey Show.” There will be the hosts: Mike Guingona, who is currently vice mayor of Daly City in Northern California; Odette Keeley, producer of TFC’s “Balitang Amerika”; and myself.

The show highlights the struggles of Filipinos as they pursue their dreams in America. We will discuss their hardship, the pain of separation from their family, and the difficulty of living alone in a strange and far away country. As the show progresses, we will feature how they eventually succeeded in achieving their American dream.

Why have a TV show for Filipinos, discussing U.S. immigration? I have observed the sad plight of many Filipinos in the United States who may have suffered long years of separations from their families caused by misinformation and misconceptions about immigration.

Many Filipinos tell me, “I never knew that becoming a citizen will prolong my petition for my adult children” or “I never knew that my U.S. citizen husband can petition my children from my first marriage” or “I was told to give a fake birth certificate by an immigration consultant, and now I am in deeper trouble.”

Many of their immigration problems would not have occurred had they received proper and correct immigration information. That’s the reason I consider “Citizen Pinoy” as an opportunity for me to help educate viewers on immigration laws, issues, and benefits, “right in the comfort of their living room.”

As you have followed my columns, I hope that you will also follow and enjoy this TV show. We have invited celebrity clients, like Regine Velasquez, who was kind and brave enough to share with her kababayans her own immigration experience. Regine has never discussed her case publicly, but will do so on “Citizen Pinoy’s” premiere telecast.

The show will feature not just celebrities but common people from all walks of life, some with ordinary problems, some with complicated and difficult cases. These are people you meet at the mall, church or school activities. They could be your neighbor or co-worker, and went through the same heartaches that you, or someone you know, are going through right now.

They agree to share their stories, the recollection of painful years of family separation and their struggle to earn a living. They tell how they did not give up or lose hope.

These Filipinos, almost always, have one thing in mind the moment they got their green cards: visit the Philippines, see their loved ones, and eventually be reunited with their family under one roof in the U.S.

Watch and listen to these real-life stories. You will realize that you are not alone in your struggles in America, and that if you hang on, hope is not far behind.