FBI Allegedly Targeted Filipino American Journalist Now In Detention
Filipino American journalist Ya'akub Vijandre was allegedly targeted by the FBI in retaliation for his refusal to become an informant. The FBI reviewed Vijandre’s immigration record and social media posts, and then recommended that immigration services terminate his DACA status, according to Vijandre’s attorneys.
Vijandre is currently detained at a for-profit ICE detention center in Folkston, Georgia, operated by GEO Group. He was arrested “at gunpoint” outside his home in Arlington, Texas, on October 7, 2025.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) pointed to his reporting on pro-Palestinian protests and various cases in the “global war on terrorism” to justify their actions.