Thais living in the U.S. without the proper paperwork are growing more fearful by the day. Under new president Donald Trump, immigration officials are being told to crack down on the 11 million illegal immigrants in the country. As many as 100,000 of those immigrants are believed to be Thais.
Thailand’s Foreign Ministry warned Thais in the U.S. to obey all laws in their host country.
Chittipat Thongprasert, deputy director-general of the Consular Department, said “Undocumented people take their own risks if they were arrested and deported.”
The orders from Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly are that police forces at borders and immigration officers should deport illegal residents as fast as they can, with the possible exception of some children.
A Thai man who lives and works legally in the United States, Chaiwat Wattalo, told The Nation that his fellow Thais without proper paperwork are really scared of being deported now.
Another Thai who lives and works legally in Los Angeles, Banlue Sornbali, thinks that most Thais in the U.S. are there legally and don’t need to worry. He did say that those that are in the country illegally should try to avoid breaking major and minor laws or even calling attention to themselves.
He said that since the new administration took over, he is also being more careful about checking the paperwork of the people he hires and those he does business with.
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