At a press conference following the release of the interim report on the recovery of pending cases at the Agency for Integration, Migrations, and Asylum (AIMA), António Leitão Amaro stated that the timeframe for processing residency applications, which is below the EU average, serves as an incentive for immigrants seeking to benefit from this policy.
The nationality law has already been amended in this legislature, establishing a five-year waiting period only after the issuance of the residency certificate, rather than from the date of application, as was previously the case.
Nevertheless, “we feel that the nationality law in its current form also contributes to this attractant effect,” Leitão Amaro explained, emphasizing the “importance of reconsidering the timeframe and the method of its calculation.”
Regarding the residency certificates from parish councils, which have been “a crucial instrument in public policies but subject to abuse,” the government intends to revise the rules with “anti-fraud measures.”
The minister specifically advocated for “limits on the number of individuals that can be certified by each witness and per property.”
Leitão Amaro also accused the PS and Chega of rejecting the creation of the National Unit for Foreigners and Borders (UNEF) within the PSP, creating challenges in managing incoming individuals.
The government plans to proceed ahead of the early elections on May 18 with the establishment of centers to receive asylum requests, approved during its full term, and advocated for a “new and more efficient regime for the removal of illegal immigrants.”
Conversely, the minister suggested that new family reunification channels should be opened, but underscored that such measures “must consider the country’s and public services’ capacity to respond.”
These are described as “new solutions” to be “implemented by a fully functional government,” the minister explained, clarifying that he is not in the midst of an electoral campaign nor discussing electoral promises.
“I am here as a government member” and “not as a candidate of the Democratic Alliance,” therefore, “I will not discuss the electoral program of the parties supporting the government,” stated the top candidate for Viseu in the legislative elections.
Of all proposed measures, only the construction of temporary detention centers will move forward, as they have already been approved by the Council of Ministers and must be operational by early 2026 within the framework of the European pact.
“We already need them today,” given that the spaces to house incoming foreigners with pending cases are “completely full.”
“The police know that if they detect more people in illegal situations, they have nowhere to place them,” summed up the official, hoping to unveil new developments in the coming days.
The goal is a “faster and more effective return system,” where “24-hour detention is a last-resort measure,” prioritizing “mixed regimes” of retention whenever possible.
[News updated at 8:24 PM]
