What difficult choices do Filipino mothers face regarding their children and work visas?

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Filipino Mothers in Israel Face Dilemma Over Children and Work Visas

Filipino mothers working in Israel are confronted with a profound choice: either send their children born in Israel back to the Philippines or abandon their work visas and risk deportation by remaining with their families. This difficult situation impacts approximately 600 families, many of whom have children who have only ever known life in Israel. The core of the issue lies in employment contract stipulations that often require caregivers and domestic helpers to not have children born in Israel or to arrange for their departure to maintain legal residency and work status.
Separation or Clandestine Living

The employment contracts for many Filipino caregivers and domestic helpers in Israel stipulate that having children born in the country, or failing to send them away, can jeopardise their work visas. This forces mothers like Ramela Noel, who arrived in Israel legally in 2003, into an untenable position. After giving birth to her daughter Sivan in Israel, Noel faced the heart-wrenching decision of either sending her newborn to the Philippines to live with her sister or remaining in Israel and living outside the law. Noel initially chose to send Sivan away, but ultimately could not bear to be separated from her child, leading the family to live clandestinely to avoid deportation.
Fear of Expulsion and Loss of Status

Living without legal status instils constant fear of deportation for these families. Ramela Noel described the terror she experiences every time she goes out on the street, aware that her family could be detained. Since the beginning of the year, members of 36 families, including 24 Filipino families, have been arrested. While some were released with conditions to leave by August 1, no deportations have occurred for now. The children, despite being born and raised in Israel, attending local schools, and speaking Hebrew, face expulsion to a country they have never known.
Labour Shortages and Societal Contributions

The presence of Filipino workers in Israel stems from a need to fill labour shortages, particularly in caregiving roles. Organisations such as the United Children of Israel (UCI) and the Hotline for Refugees and Migrants highlight that these individuals have significantly contributed to Israeli society for years. The dilemma faced by these mothers raises questions about the recognition of their labour and the human rights implications of policies that could lead to the separation of families and the expulsion of children born in the country.
Calls for Policy Reconsideration

Recent protests in Tel Aviv, supported by some Israelis, have voiced opposition to the potential deportations, with participants questioning the fairness of expelling children who consider Israel their home. Catholic church leaders have also condemned the policy, asking if it respects the contributions of these women's labour to Israeli society. Despite these calls, some counter-protesters express concerns about maintaining the Jewish majority in Israel, suggesting that individuals whose visas have ended should return to their home countries, a perspective that overlooks the unique circumstances of children born and raised in Israel.

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What difficult choices do Filipino mothers face regarding their children and work visas?

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