Since United States President Donald Trump began his new term in office, some of the fears of the migrant community have been coming true.White House figures show that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested over 100,000 people suspected of violating immigration law from January 20 to the first week of June. That’s around 750 arrests per day, double the average over the past decade.Trump’s immigration policy has caused a wave of anxiety among Filipinos, one of the biggest immigrant groups in the US. In this episode of At Home sa Abroad: Stories of Overseas Filipinos, Rappler reporter Michelle Abad sits down with Andan Bonifacio, national chair of Bayan USA, one of the convening organizations of Tanggol Migrante.Bonifacio discusses how the alliance helps migrant families seeking its assistance, its coordination with Philippine officials, and the significance of growing the alliance during these times.https://www.rappler.com/philippines/overseas-filipinos/at-home-sa-abroad-episode-tanggol-migrante-trump-administration/

There were around 1 million registered overseas Filipinos who did not get to vote in the 2025 midterm elections.

The Commission on Elections overhauled its overseas voting system in a bid to increase turnout from the record-high 40% in 2022. For the first time, it implemented an internet voting system for overseas Filipinos. This system intended to make it easier to vote, especially for Filipinos who lived or worked far away from Philippine embassies and consulates.

In this episode of At Home sa Abroad: Stories of Overseas Filipinos, multimedia reporter Michelle Abad speaks to Ronnette Sanchez, education officer of Malaya Movement Seattle, who talks about her experience as a voter in the United States, while helping fellow Filipinos in her community navigate the challenges of the new system.

In the Philippines, not everyone has the absolute right to marry the person they love. This includes the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+ (LGBTQ+) community – since same-sex marriage or civil unions are not recognized by law. In this episode of At Home sa Abroad: Stories of Overseas Filipinos, Rappler reporter Michelle Abad speaks to singer-songwriter Nica del Rosario, and actress Justine Peña, who got married in Australia in August 2022. https://www.rappler.com/philippines/overseas-filipinos/at-home-sa-abroad-episode-marriage-option-pinoy-lgbtq-couples/

Rappler sits down with University of Pennsylvania sophomore Eliana Atienza about her journey into activism and why she thinks Filipinos should care about the war in Gaza.

https://www.rappler.com/philippines/overseas-filipinos/at-home-sa-abroad-episode-us-based-filipina-student-speaks-out-vs-war-gaza/

In first fully in-person episode of At Home sa Abroad: Stories of Overseas Filipinos, Rappler multimedia reporter Michelle Abad sits down with Hyku Desesto, one of the awardees for the Junior Chamber International Philippines’ The Outstanding Young Men of 2023. She was recognized for her advocacy in overseas Filipino worker (OFW) empowerment. https://www.rappler.com/nation/overseas-filipinos/at-home-sa-abroad-episode-toym-awardee-hyku-desesto-making-mark/

In this episode of At Home sa Abroad: Stories of Overseas Filipinos, Rappler multimedia reporter Michelle Abad speaks with Joanne DG Rico, an Abu Dhabi-based marketing chief who recently released a new book, It’s Not What You Think: Cracking OFW myths on personal finance. https://www.rappler.com/nation/overseas-filipinos/at-home-sa-abroad-episode-ofw-personal-finance-101/

In this episode of At Home sa Abroad: Stories of Overseas Filipinos, Rappler multimedia reporter Michelle Abad speaks with seafarer turned lawyer Niko Tolentino to talk about his journey from marine engineering to representing seafarers and their families in times when they need legal assistance.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/overseas-filipinos/at-home-sa-abroad-episode-how-seafarer-turned-lawyer-fights-workers-sea/

In this episode of At Home sa Abroad: Stories of Overseas Filipinos, Rappler multimedia reporter Michelle Abad speaks with Canadian Minister of Small Business Rechie Valdez to talk about her recent appointment, her roots as a Filipino-Canadian, and what lies ahead. https://www.rappler.com/nation/overseas-filipinos/at-home-sa-abroad-episode-road-ahead-rechie-valdez-first-filipina-canadian-cabinet/