The Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa (SCML) has confirmed it is in ongoing coordination with the municipal government, but as of 2:45 PM, it had yet to receive any requests for support related to the current situation.
The Arroios Parish Council reported Thursday that approximately 30 immigrants were removed the previous day from illegal accommodation in Arroios, with the relocation process being managed by the City Council and the STML.
The press service is awaiting a response to inquiries regarding the situation of these migrants, which were submitted to the Lisbon City Council (CML) earlier today. The council referenced statements made by Mayor Carlos Moedas (PSD) to SIC.
When asked about the relocation of the approximately 30 immigrants, Mayor Carlos Moedas assured SIC that they “will not be left on the street” and noted that “many” remain at the illegal accommodation in Arroios waiting for emergency housing assistance from SCML, emphasizing that resolving the situation “does not happen overnight.”
In the vicinity of the illegal lodging in Arroios, Mayor Moedas criticized the property owner for exploiting the poverty of these immigrants to create an “undignified” and “degrading” situation, committing “a crime” by using a commercial space as housing, which is “not legal.”
“We will always act when this happens, we will find solutions, but the country must make choices, […] the country must declare that incoming people must have work contracts, must be afforded the dignity of a home. All of this must happen because they are necessary, but not in this way. This is not possible. This is a shame. It is a shame for the country, and I do not want my city to continue to bear this shame,” stated Carlos Moedas.
Advocating for an immigration policy that “receives people with dignity,” the mayor attributed illegal accommodation cases to “many years without immigration policies.”
Moedas remarked that over the last few years, the Lisbon municipality has inspected more than 400 establishments, including restaurants, bars, and shops, highlighting the notification of 32 souvenir shops.
“The city council will always enforce the law and order,” reiterated the PSD mayor, adding that the Agency for Integration, Migrations, and Asylum (AIMA) is informed about these illegal immigrant lodging situations.
The SCML informed that it has been in constant coordination with CML and the Homeless Intervention Planning and Intervention Group — NPISA Lisbon to address the rehousing needs of displaced individuals on Wednesday.
“However, despite this ongoing collaboration, no requests for assistance have been received so far, not even through the National Emergency Social Line (144),” SCML added.
Madalena Natividade, President of the Arroios Parish Council (an independent elected by the PSD/CDS-PP/MPT/PPM/Alliance coalition), stated Thursday that the dismantled illegal housing operated out of a disused restaurant, lacking habitability conditions, and accommodated about 30 Indian immigrants.
These individuals lived in “very inhumane conditions,” with cockroaches and rats, the Arroios councilor reported, noting that the situation was reported by neighbors who complained to the council “about the nauseating smell and strange movements entering and leaving the restaurant.”
The intervention occurred Wednesday morning, and the immigrants were identified, although it is currently unknown if they are legally in the country.
The immigrants “barely spoke English,” resulting in “some difficulty” in gathering information, but it is known that they paid “between 180 to 200 euros per month” to stay at this deactivated restaurant, revealed Madalena Natividade.
The councilor further indicated that the intervention by the council is motivated “by safety concerns” in overcrowded spaces with gas bottles and unsanitary conditions that “can later lead to public health issues.” She noted that the relocation process is being secured by the services of CML and SCML, with the involvement of the Municipal Police, but did not provide further details.
