Philippine President Marcos Plans to Meet Trump to Discuss Immigration Policy

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has announced plans to meet with US President Donald Trump to discuss a range of issues, with a primary focus on immigration policy. Marcos emphasized the importance of this meeting in addressing policies that could significantly impact the Filipino community in the United States, which remains a key concern for many Filipinos living abroad.
The Philippine president is seeking to influence US immigration policy in a way that benefits the large number of Filipinos residing in the US, many of whom are concerned about the current and potential future immigration reforms under Trump’s administration. Marcos highlighted the need for a policy shift that would help ease the challenges faced by Filipino immigrants, particularly in areas related to visas and residency.
In addition to immigration, Marcos also mentioned his willingness to return a Typhoon missile system to the United States. However, he attached a condition: he would only do so if China ceased what he described as aggressive and coercive behavior, particularly with its territorial claims in the South China Sea. The missile system has been a point of contention between the US and China, with Beijing strongly opposing the US deployment of the missile system for military exercises in the Philippines. China has consistently called for the missile system’s withdrawal, arguing that it complicates regional security dynamics.
Marcos’s comments come amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea, where China has long claimed sovereignty over much of the area, despite competing claims from several other countries, including the Philippines. In response, China has accused Philippine vessels of encroaching on its claimed territory, further intensifying the diplomatic friction between the two nations.
As Marcos prepares for the meeting with President Trump, both the immigration issue and the South China Sea dispute are likely to be key topics of discussion, shaping the trajectory of US-Philippine relations in the coming months.