Maraming mga Pilipino ang nangangarap na makaalis ng bansa kapalit ng mas mataas na kita at mas maginhawang buhay para sa kanilang pamilya. Sina Jovi Esperanza at Denmark Francisco ay dalawa lamang sa napakaraming Pilipino na piniling pansamantalang iwan ang kanilang pamilya upang makapagtrabaho sa Amerika.

Ngunit hindi lahat ng bagay ay palaging naaayon sa ating mga inaasahan — ang mga sumunod na pangyayari ay tunay na nakakakilabot at nagsilbing isang napakabigat na aral para sa mga Pilipinong nagnanais makamit ang “American Dream.”

The US healthcare system includes nearly 3 million immigrant workers, 33% of whom are Filipinos. Because of the shortage of healthcare workers in the US, there’s no sign of them slowing down in hiring Filipino nurses, especially since Pinoys are known for being caring and kind. Add to that the good training they receive before coming to America.

One facility in dire need of additional staff is Crystal Lake Rehabilitation and Healthcare, located in Bayville, New Jersey. This establishment offers long-term skilled nursing care and short-term post-acute rehabilitation for people whose family members can no longer care for them at home.

If you visit their website, you’ll see that most of their clients are elderly individuals suffering from dementia or other age-related conditions. In addition to their proud and friendly staff, they also highlight that residents can live comfortably in their facilities, have transportation to hospital appointments, designated smoking areas, free Wi-Fi, and delicious food.

If you scroll to the bottom of the site, you’ll find that they are actively recruiting new staff. From cooks and maintenance to certified nursing assistants (CNAs)—one of the most frequently posted jobs—with a wage of $16 to $25 per hour, which is above minimum wage.

Some of you might say, “If I had the chance, I would never pass that up.” But for many Americans who know how tough the job is, CNA roles are often rejected. So employers who desperately need workers do not hesitate to hire people even from other countries.

While this kind of job is not popular among Americans, Filipinos—desperate to leave the country and improve their family’s lives—won’t let opportunities like these pass.

With so many issues in the country, most Filipinos don’t hesitate to leave and abandon the land of their birth. One of their destinations? America. Filipinos Jovi Esperanza and Denmark Francisco are just two of the many who chose to leave their families in the Philippines temporarily in exchange for better earnings in the U.S.

Both were accepted as certified nursing assistants (CNAs) at Crystal Lake Rehabilitation in New Jersey. While many felt happy for them, some even said their families would finally rise out of poverty. But most people don’t know how hard it is to be a CNA.

Still don’t believe it? Check out this American’s Reddit post. He couldn’t understand why so many CNA job posts exist, but few apply. Four years ago, someone replied that CNAs do things that nurses often don’t—like washing patients and helping them use the bathroom.

The problem? The work is heavy, but the pay is low. One person replied: “You shouldn’t be surprised you’re wiping a patient’s butt—because that’s part of a CNA’s job.”

What people don’t say is that when you’re a CNA, some patients may touch you inappropriately. If you report this to a manager or CNA instructor, the usual response is: “That’s normal. Just ignore it.” Instead of resolving the issue, they might even tell you their own worse stories of being touched.

They never tell you during training that you’ll need to spread a patient’s legs to clean them. Worse, while cleaning a patient, they might suddenly scream, forgetting they’re in a nursing home and falsely accuse you of assault—because they have dementia.

If you want to know more experiences or plan to become a CNA, check out the CNA subreddit. Many who read the stories get discouraged—and understandably so. Being a CNA is not for the faint of heart. It’s for those with physical and emotional strength.

But for Denmark, from Taytay, Rizal, he’ll do anything for his family. What drives him is his mother, who has always stood by him. When the opportunity to work in America came, he didn’t let it go—knowing it might never come again.

In New Jersey, though the cold weather was tough, he adjusted quickly because he wasn’t the only Filipino working there. Once he got his salary, he made sure to send money back to Rizal to help with daily expenses.

Having Filipino coworkers, like Jovi, made things easier emotionally. Denmark also made other Filipino friends, as the Filipino community in New Jersey is large. He made time to explore beautiful places in New England like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia.

Over time, Denmark built his American Dream: with hard work and saving, he dreamed of buying a house and car and giving his mother a better life.

But in 2024, that dream came crashing down. The faces of Denmark and Jovi were plastered on the Facebook pages of the Ocean County Prosecutor and Berkeley Township Police. When people found out what happened, many were disgusted. Some even demanded their deportation.

The news quickly reached their families in the Philippines, who were devastated and confused, frantically contacting agencies for help. Authorities arrested Denmark on October 15, 2024, while Jovi surrendered the same day. Both were sent to Ocean County Jail.

While awaiting their detention hearings, rumors spread that the two could be deported. In the U.S., non-citizens who commit crimes face a high risk of deportation.

Migrant advocacy groups like Migrante New Jersey protested, calling their transfer to ICE custody a violation of human rights, as both were presumed innocent until proven guilty. Together with groups like Malaya New York, Anakbayan Queens, and NAFCON, rallies were held outside ICE Detention Centers demanding justice.

Denmark was reportedly emotional upon learning that many people were fighting for them. However, American public opinion was harsh: they believed violent people like Denmark had no place in the U.S.

The Philippine government, meanwhile, was accused of doing nothing—prompting activists to storm the Philippine Embassy in New York, calling them useless and shameless. But the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) denied the claims, stating they had quietly sent over ₱500,000 ($10,000) to help with legal fees.

The money, however, could not be used immediately as ICE had custody, and checks took time to process. So the DFA opted to give the funds directly to Denmark’s family instead.

For months, Denmark insisted he was innocent, saying it was self-defense. But when police reports were released, public opinion shifted. On October 14, 2024, around 11 a.m., Denmark and Jovi confronted a patient who tried to smoke. The patient didn’t like being stopped.

According to them, the patient attacked first, but they ended up beating him badly, putting him in critical condition.

Under U.S. law, this was aggravated assault. CNA staff are trained to avoid escalation, use calm tones, distance themselves, or call security—none of which they did.

Though they had no legal defense, many advocacy groups still supported them, arguing they deserved due process before deportation. Under the 14th Amendment, green card and visa holders are entitled to the same constitutional rights as U.S. citizens (except for voting and federal employment).

Yet after three months in jail, Jovi voluntarily chose to be deported on January 29, 2025. Despite her departure, advocates kept fighting for Denmark.

Via video call, he thanked his supporters, saying:

“I truly appreciate all of your help… even with your own jobs and responsibilities, you’re still here for me. Sometimes I think…”

However, what the organizations didn’t disclose was that Jovi was an illegal immigrant. Her visa had long expired.

After Jovi’s departure, the same groups continued to rally for Denmark, who still held a valid work permit. But he eventually followed her, choosing self-deportation too.

His lawyer advised that while his human rights had been violated by ICE, he still had to face the assault charge. The case could take months or even years, cost thousands in legal fees, and burden his already struggling family.

So rather than prolong the pain and financial hardship, Denmark chose to be deported and rebuild his life in the Philippines, though his American Dream had ended in tragedy.