Family members, fellow unionists, members of Bayan Washington, and Tanggol Migrante-Washington State warmly welcomed the release of Maximo Londorio on July 11 outside the NorthWest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington.

Londorio, 42 years old, is a forklift driver at Crown Cork & Seal in Olympia and is a member of the International Association of Machinists (IAM) Local 695. He has lived in the US for nearly three decades.

Authorities kidnapped him on May 16 and detained him at NWDC, where he spent almost a month in solitary confinement.

“Thank you very much for your support! I am deeply grateful to Tanggol Migrante. From the beginning until the end, you were there from the very first day. We still have much to do!” Londorio declared upon leaving the facility.

“As we celebrate this victory, we condemn the Philippine consulate for its lack of action and insufficient support for our compatriot,” Tanggol Migrante stated.

A day before Londorio’s release, Philippine Consulate General-San Francisco (PCG-SF) staff visited him without prior notice and announced that they would attend his court hearing. Londorio rejected their offer in protest of their continued neglect and extremely slow response to the needs of Filipino immigrants detained in the facility. “The hearing is for the family and for those who truly stood with us from the start,” Londorio’s wife Crystal said.

According to Tanggol Migrante, PCG-SF’s insistence that “the intensifying attacks on immigrants in the US are not a major issue for Filipinos” is alarming. “Filipino immigrants are being deprived of their rights, detained in deplorable conditions, lacking food, and separated from their families for months—these are major problems that the Philippine government must address!”

In March, authorities detained another Filipino immigrant at NWDC. The consulate did not provided legal support to “Kuya G” despite his repeated requests for assistance from the agency. They only visited him after organizations demanded for visits to Filipino immigrants detained at the facility on May 29. However, the consulate staff merely responded with “let’s see” to his suggestion and even arrogantly criticized Kuya G for taking a long time before seeking help.

At his hearing on July 3, the consulate still did not provide assistance, and Kuya G had to represent himself in court since he had no lawyer. Despite the Department of Foreign Affairs’ ₱1.2 billion budget for Assistance to Nationals (ATN), it even said “Tanggol Migrante should find you a free lawyer.” This is clearly dereliction of its duties.

Migrante South Center and Bayan Washington condemned the Philippine consulate for its shameless and blatant neglect of Kuya G. “The Department of Foreign Affairs must do its job and take immediate action. The Philippine consulate must provide Kuya G with a lawyer and ensure that he is not deported,” the groups demanded.

At present, at least 10 Filipino immigrants remain detained at NWDC.