The Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, unveiled the new document for Portugal’s immigration law on Wednesday, sparking various reactions.
The minister stated that the government aims to “end the era where the idea was: Go to Portugal and see what happens.”
Following the initial proposal of the new immigration law being rejected by the Constitutional Court, the government has decided to retain the requirement of two years of valid residency to apply for family reunification in the new proposal, with certain exceptions.
For example, there will be no time requirements in cases where a common child is involved, allowing for “immediate access to family reunification.”
For spouses without common children, an “intermediate path” is provided by reducing the period to one year for applying for family reunification, provided the marriage or effective union existed before coming to Portugal, with the couple having lived together for one year.
The rules for family reunification pertain to immigration and “not asylum situations,” explained Leitão Amaro, admitting in a public address that the government preferred the initial version of the document rejected by the Constitutional Court.
From the Head of State to Presidential Candidates
Following the press conference, reactions quickly ensued from some Presidential Republic candidates and the current Head of State.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa acknowledged the government’s concern in “aligning with the Constitutional Court’s understanding” of the so-called immigration law and expressed willingness to forego a renewed request for constitutionality review.
The President of the Republic recognized the government’s attention to aligning with the Constitutional Court and signaled he might forgo another request for constitutionality review.
Presidential candidate Henrique Gouveia e Melo hopes the new version of the law regulating foreign entry has resolved the Constitutional Court’s noted unconstitutionalities, allowing it to “fulfill its purpose.”
Candidate Luís Marques Mendes described the new version of the immigration law as more positive, dignified, and humane.
“I must say that these proposed changes [to the immigration law] I learned about today appear positive and headed in the right direction,” he stated to journalists during the ‘Conversations with the President’ event, held yesterday at Fundação AEP in Porto.
Candidate António José Seguro refused to comment on the bill, believing a President of the Republic should not be an “ambulant commentator.” However, he expects a productive, Constitution-aligned discussion of the new immigration law version.
“Political-Party Dark Cloud”
The Bishop of Setúbal also reacted to the new law proposal. Américo Aguiar said the migrant issue in Portugal is caught in a “political-party dark cloud” and regarded it as “profoundly unjust” to blame foreigners for the country’s problems.
“I regret greatly that the migrant dossier is trapped in a political-party dark cloud because the migrant issue shouldn’t belong to the Left or Right,” he stated, adding: “These are people. We are talking about people, some of whom, like the Portuguese in past times, seek better living conditions.”
Américo Aguiar highlighted the case of the Setúbal Peninsula, where migrants represent about 25% of the population, estimated at approximately one million inhabitants, ensuring no severe issues threaten cohabitation harmony.
“We should not generalize and turn migrants into a punching bag, where they are held responsible for the lack of doctors, houses, schools, this or that,” he emphasized, reiterating “that is profoundly unjust.”
The Bishop of Setúbal, Américo Aguiar, reiterated that the migrant issue in Portugal is caught in a “political-party dark cloud” and considered it unjust to blame foreigners for national problems.
The Chega party leader expressed “surprise” at Leitão Amaro’s ‘announcements’ during the fortnightly debate, reminding the PSD it doesn’t hold a parliamentary majority to pass the immigration law alone and rejecting reverting changes made to the proposal rejected by the Constitutional Court, especially concerning family reunification.
André Ventura accused the government of being “as lenient on immigration as the PS.”
“We must swiftly remove those who are not legal in this country,” he insisted, arguing that “this country needs rules, law, control.”
Prime Minister asserted that the government is indeed committed to altering the law regulating foreign entry and suggested that perhaps Chega isn’t, warning that if the parliament passes unconstitutional legislation “nothing will change.”
“We truly want to change the immigration law, unlike those who stubbornly cling to a stance that may not meet Constitutional Court approval, ultimately wanting no change,” he said.
