Emídio Sousa, who commenced a visit to the United States, expressed concerns over recent immigration raids at a Portuguese-owned company in Newark. He emphasized the importance of addressing “situations of illegality” and respecting U.S. immigration policies.
“Our ministry and consular services closely monitor these situations. We must understand that illegalities must be corrected, similarly to our own country, and respect the U.S.’ efforts to regulate immigrants and residents,” he stated during an interview in New York.
He noted, “We hope these raids do not significantly impact our emigrants or businesses. However, we must recognize that the U.S., as a sovereign nation, has the right to control its immigration.”
A Portuguese-owned company in Newark, New Jersey, faced another immigration raid on Wednesday, causing concern among the local Portuguese community.
Dozens of agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) entered the Ocean Seafood Depot, a seafood company in Newark.
The company, owned by Portuguese national Luís Janota, was previously raided shortly after Donald Trump assumed the presidency, as he vowed the “largest mass deportation in history.”
Witnesses reported that agents separated workers with legal status, giving them red wristbands and allowing them to leave. Others were detained and transported in vehicles with tinted windows. Agents reportedly had a list of individuals they were targeting.
Images from the scene showed agents with covered faces and no visible identification, a common practice within ICE operations.
The Portuguese government assures that plans are in place to assist Portuguese citizens potentially affected by detentions and deportations initiated by Trump’s administration.
Emídio Sousa highlighted the juridical support provided for emerging cases, albeit with limited publicity to ensure confidentiality.
“Whenever cases are reported, we follow up. We provide consular assistance and sometimes help in repatriation processes. Specialized support is already available in autonomous regions, and while there are few reported cases on the mainland, we are prepared to provide assistance,” he assured.
He urged, “Above all, I ask that people migrate legally.”
Newark, home to a significant Portuguese community in the U.S., is among the sanctuary cities with local and state laws protecting undocumented residents.
There has been an increase in ICE detentions since Trump began his second term, with raids reported nationwide. Additionally, cases of Green Card holders detained and facing deportation have arisen.
The Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities began his visit to the U.S., which will include stops in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, concluding next Wednesday.
