He estimated that there were between 250,000 and 300,000 undocumented Filipinos in the United States.

Immigration was a major campaign issue, and Trump repeatedly pledged to carry out the plan. “the largest deportation effort in American history.” In a exclusive interview with NBC News Yesterday, he said his administration would have “no choice” but to follow through on the plan and that there would be “no price” to pay.

Asian Americans’ support for Trump was 5 more points in this election than in 2020, according to the NBC News exit poll. That may have made a difference in battleground states like Nevada, which Trump won for the first time.

Filipino Americans make up the largest group of Asian American voters in the state, who in turn make up 12% of Nevada’s electorate. To a rally in Las Vegas last month which was aimed at Asian Americans, Trump praised the Filipino community as “the greatest, hardest-working people.”

Although they historically tend to be Democrats, Filipino Americans are tied to Trump on issues such as the economy and immigration, Romualdez said.

“A lot of them are unhappy with the idea that people can just come in here” without following the same procedures as those who entered the country legally, he said.