Crystal Londonio (right) speaking at a rally demanding the immediate release of her husband, Max Londonio. - IAM Union website
NEW YORK: Maximo 'Max' Londonio, a Filipino green card holder and father of three, has been detained at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after returning from a family vacation in the Philippines, sparking protests and renewed calls for government accountability.
Londonio, 42, who immigrated to the US at age 12 and now lives in Olympia, Washington, was taken into custody by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on May 15.
Londonio, his wife and their 12-year-old daughter were returning from their vacation in the Philippines, according to migrant rights advocacy group Tanggol Migrante.
CBP agents reportedly detained Londonio over non-violent offences from his youth, despite previous uneventful travel between the US and the Philippines.
His wife, Crystal – a US citizen – described him as “dedicated,” “family-focused” and “affectionate,” and said she received little information about his whereabouts or the reasons for his detention.
She was finally able to contact him on Tuesday and learned he had received a notice to appear before an immigration judge and would be transferred to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centre, where thousands of migrants await deportation hearings.
“The lack of accountability by the United States CBP is failing him right now. It’s failing everybody. It’s taking from everyone who seeks refuge here — those seeking freedom and equality,” Crystal said at a rally outside the airport, where friends and family chanted “Free Max now” and demanded action from both US and Philippine authorities.
Londonio’s case echoes other recent detentions of Filipino green card holders, including Lewelyn Dixon, who was arrested at the same airport in February.
At least four Filipino green card holders are currently being held at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, according to Tanggol Migrante.
Efforts to secure support from the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, which has jurisdiction over Washington state, have been met with bureaucratic delays and limited communication, according to NBC News.
Crystal said the consulate’s emergency hotline provided vague answers, and Assistance to Nationals Officer Bernice Santayana did not respond for two days.
On May 19, the consulate confirmed Londonio was not in ICE detention, a fact easily verified online, and admitted they had been unable to contact CBP.
“We are enraged that the Philippine government did not intervene quickly enough to fight for Max’s release,” said Jo Faralan of Tanggol Migrante.
“Crystal already feels the US government has failed her. It’s shameful that the Philippine government has failed them too.”
The Philippine embassy and consulates in the US have stated they are providing “appropriate consular assistance,” but advocates say this response falls short.
Tanggol Migrante has called for greater accountability from officials including San Francisco Consul General Neil Ferrer and Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez, with an open letter signed by more than 100 organisations. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
