VOICES OF TRUTH

 

A Final Salute to Our Heroes: The Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act as a Vindication of Sacrifice

By Atty. Arnedo S. Valera

The passage of the bipartisan Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act is more than just an immigration reform—it is a long-overdue corrective measure for a historic betrayal. It is a vindication of the rights of Filipino World War II veterans, who, despite losing their legal battle in U.S. courts in 2013, never ceased fighting for the recognition and benefits they were promised. This Act is not merely a matter of policy; it is a moral reckoning, an acknowledgment that America must honor its word to those who bled for its freedom.

A Legacy of Betrayal and Injustice

More than 260,000 Filipinos fought under the American flag in World War II, believing that their sacrifices would be rewarded with the same rights and benefits as their American counterparts. These men were not mere conscripts; they were warriors who, in the jungles and battlefields of the Pacific, stood shoulder to shoulder with U.S. forces against Imperial Japan. Their valor was unquestionable, their sacrifices immeasurable.

But in 1946, the Rescission Act shattered that promise. Overnight, these brave soldiers were stripped of the benefits granted to other Allied troops. Their pensions, health care, and survivor benefits were erased by ink on paper, leaving them to live in poverty and indignity. For decades, they fought back—not with weapons, but with petitions, legal challenges, and relentless advocacy.

In 2009, a small victory was won: the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund, granting a one-time payment of $15,000 to veterans in the U.S. and $9,000 to those in the Philippines. Yet, even this was a hollow victory. Thousands of veterans were denied their rightful claims due to lost or destroyed military records, bureaucratic barriers, and strict evidentiary requirements. Many died waiting.

In 2013, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a final legal blow. Filipino veterans were once again denied equal benefits. I personally stood before a three-judge panel, arguing on behalf of these aging warriors, knowing that justice was slipping away. When the ruling came, it was devastating—not just to the veterans, but to the very idea of American fairness.

Yet, their fight did not end in that courtroom.

A Long-Awaited Victory: Reuniting Families

Though many veterans have since passed away, this Act ensures that their sacrifices were not in vain. For decades, these veterans—who became U.S. citizens under the Immigration Act of 1990—faced the painful reality that their children, trapped in visa backlogs, would never join them in the United States.

Under current immigration law, their children were placed under the Family-Based Second Preference (F2B) visa category, subjected to per-country limits that resulted in wait times of 20 to 30 years. Many veterans died without ever seeing their children again.

The Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act corrects this injustice by exempting their children from numerical visa caps, allowing them to immigrate immediately. This is not a handout; it is a long-delayed act of recognition—an acknowledgment that Filipino veterans gave everything for America, and America must finally give back.

This aligns with past U.S. corrective measures, such as the Cuban Adjustment Act and the Vietnamese refugee programs, recognizing that America has a duty to those who stood by her in times of war. This Act reaffirms that principle.

A Moral and Legal Imperative

This legislation is about more than just visas—it is about honoring a generation that was wronged. The United States has a moral and legal obligation to fulfill its broken promises to Filipino World War II veterans. This Act does not erase the injustices they endured, but it sends a clear message: history can be corrected, and justice, though delayed, is still justice.

I recall sitting with aging Filipino veterans, listening to their stories—of comrades lost, of post-war hardship, of promises made and broken. Some still clutched their faded military documents, desperate for someone to believe them. Many have since passed, their dreams of justice unfulfilled. But today, their children and grandchildren stand as living proof that their fight was not in vain.

Let this be our reminder: when we fight for what is right, we do not fight alone, and we do not fight in vain. The resilience of these veterans is their greatest legacy, and the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act is their final victory.

As the last of these heroes fade into history, let us ensure that they are remembered not as victims of injustice, but as warriors who never stopped fighting—until the very end.

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About the Author:

Atty. Arnedo S. Valera is the executive director of the Global Migrant Heritage Foundation and managing attorney at Valera & Associates, a US immigration and anti-discrimination law firm for over 32 years. He holds a master’s degree in International Affairs and International Law and Human Rights from Columbia University and was trained at the International Institute of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. He obtained his Bachelor of Laws from Ateneo de Manila University.